Out of place

Recently, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Mukul Wasnik was in Lucknow to review the implementation of the Protection of Civil Rights Act and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in Uttar Pradesh. Later in the evening, his press conference was scheduled at a VVIP guest house. But the minister got the shock of life when his staff was told that the press briefing would not be allowed inside the venue, so Wasnik briefed the media on the lawns outside. Later, Social Welfare Department Principal Secretary Balwinder Kumar tried to clarify that there had been some confusion over the venue, but the damage had been done. As the press knows well, in Mayawati’s Uttar Pradesh, anything can be expected.