A Wednesday in the life of Moily

Moily's attempt to walk the talk as he takes the metro to work

No cameras, no flashes. Still, there was no stopping to petroleum minister M Veerappa Moily special on Wednesday. Braving the scorching sun, the septuagenarian politician warmly welcomed the request by Business Standard reporter to accompany him till office on a metro in the afternoon.

“When there are too many journalists, it becomes a problem for the commuters. I don’t have an issue at all. In fact, this journey as a common citizen is more comfortable for me,” he added.

Accompanied by only two personal staff, the minister walked the small stretch of about 1 kilometre to the Race Course metro station from his house at Tughlak Lane. Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi praised him on his initiative to take public transport but Moily seemed unimpressed by the BJP prime ministerial candidate's praise.

“I was informed about this by someone. I am used to these long morning walks, so even a walk or a metro ride is not something herculean to me.” Reaching the metro station lift, Moily looked at the board which said “only for aged and disabled”. The 73-year-old minister was bit hesitant. “We should ideally take the stairs. This is only for the aged.”

Onlookers were bit amused. Those who recognized him wished him. Some came and appreciated his move. “This is the sort of response I get during every journey. People come up to me and appreciate this initiative,” he said. This is the third Wednesday since the drive to save fuel began with the minister insisting that all officials and executives of companies under his ministry leave their private vehicles as their contribution towards saving $25 billion on crude oil imports.

Moily had issued a circular asking all the staff in his ministry, as well as of 14 public sector oil companies under him, to mark every Wednesday as Bus Day, when only public transport should be used. Moily claimed this initiative alone saves at least Rs 2 crore worth fuel every Wednesday.

“Two of my joint secretaries, Aramane Giridhar and Neeraj Mittal came by cycle." The recent serious accident of environmentalist Sunita Narain who was cycling to Lodhi Garden from her Green Park residence has left some officers worried. Moily agreed cycling on Delhi roads could be dangerous.

The minister was full of sympathy for Indian Oil Corporation chairman R S Butola. "Poor chap walked 15 kilo metres from his home.” A wailing child in the coach drew his sympathy too. “I guess she fell down.”

He earned a celebrity status instantly inside the metro when people wanted to be pose for a picture with him. An excited Mahila Congress worker approached him among the crowd and said, “I am from Sagar in Madhya Pradesh and is a party worker for the last 20 years. This time I want a Lok Sabha seat. Came to meet Kamal Nath ji.” Moily responded to her with a smile and agreed to her request for a photo.

The minister mingled freely with most but then came an uneasy question. A young man walked up to him and asked about issues relating to Reliance Industries and KG-D6 issue outside the Central Secretariat metro station near his office.

“Is it something that I should discuss across the roads,” Moily retorted. The minister has been under constant attack of Gurudas Dasgupta, veteran CPI leader, for being soft RIL. Entering the lift of his Shastri Bhawan office, Moily bid good bye. “I don’t mind journalists coming with me,” he said magnanimously.