BJP to organise poetry evenings at 4,000 places in memory of Vajpayee

Much street action in terms of political protests and events is in the offing in the months of September and October. Bharatiya Janata Party will organise poetry evenings at 4,000 places in memory of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on September 16, which will mark a month of his death. On September 17, BJP workers will celebrate Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday. The celebrations will continue till the birth anniversary of Jana Sangh founder Deen Dayal Upadhyay on September 25.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist), particularly its affiliated trade unions and farmer union, plans to hold a massive rally in Delhi on September 5. Several Congress state units will launch agitations focused on the Rafale fighter jet issue. Several other womens' and farmers' groups also plan to hold protests during the month of September. 

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi would be on a pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar in the first half of September, and his party plans to put out video footage and photographs certifying their party president's devotion for Lord Shiva.  

Hoping for succour

A piece of black cloth was found tied to a gate at the entrance to 10 Circular Road, the official residence of Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad. Many read that as a contraption aimed to ward off the evil eye, given the tough times that the residents of the bungalow are going through. Lalu Prasad has been convicted in four fodder scam cases. 

His wife Rabri Devi and younger son Tejashwi are on the radar of the Enforcement Directorate in a case pertaining to an alleged railway hotels-for-land deal. Tejashwi and Rabri are slated to appear before the Patiala House Court on Friday. Next month, a Delhi court will hear arguments on charges against Lalu's eldest daughter Misa Bharti and her husband Shailesh Kumar in an alleged money laundering case.

Competitive ‘looks’

After years of criticism, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) finally had its moment of redemption. While inaugurating its new office, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the CCI can now compete with its counterparts from across the globe. Jaitley, while addressing the members of the Commission at the inauguration said, “CCI has acquired a far more presentable premise and can now compete with its counterparts in the other parts of the world — at least in its looks”. A much younger body compared to many global competition watchdogs, a common grouse against the CCI had been that it is still finding its feet.