Off the record: Toeing the line

Kerala Governor is finally making Vijayan toe the line

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is quite known for his tough stature and was often referred to as a ‘double-hearted’ person by his supporters. But when it came to the recent government-Governor tiff, it seems that Governor Arif Mohammed Khan made Vijayan fall into his line. A senior IAS officer was transferred reportedly as per Governor’s wish, a BJP leader was posted in Raj Bhavan as sought by the Governor and many pending requests of Raj Bhavan, including replacing the Governor’s luxury car, are being cleared. Ensuring smooth governance is not the sole reason why Vijayan seems to be trying to avoid a confrontation with Khan. A couple of corruption cases against Vijayan are pending with the Lok Ayukta. As per the recent amendment in Kerala Lok Ayukta Act, if the chief minister is disqualified by the Lok Ayukta, the Governor can overrule it or accept it.

Arjun Raghunath, Thiruvananthapuram

Keeping the Lord out of devotees’ reach

In yet another controversy surrounding the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, a video went viral on social media in which the trust board members were discussing a proposal to hike the temple’s Arjitha Seva ticket prices. Sharing the footage on Facebook, netizens pointed out the “excitement” of some TTD board members and chairman YV Subba Reddy at the prospect of “exorbitantly” increasing the ticket rates for attending the rituals inside the famed Lord Venkateshwara temple. “Why alter the Suprabhatam Seva’s price from Rs 400 to Rs 800? make it Rs 2,000. Increase Thomala, Archana to Rs 5,000. Hike the Kalyanotsavam ticket prices too,” Reddy was asserting in the video, while others voiced their approval. Though Reddy was stating that the hikes relate to discretionary quota tickets, given on recommendation to the well-heeled, it did not stop several devotees from cursing the TTD board, accusing it of becoming money-minded lately. TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh alleged the price hikes as “part of the YSRCP government’s conspiracy to make the Lord of Seven Hills out of reach for his devotees.”

Prasad Nichenametla, Hyderabad

Fitness freak

Yuvraj Sambhaji Raje Chhatrapati of the Kolhapur royal family is a fitness freak. Whenever he visits the Raigad Fort, at the end of the day, he checks his watch and mobile phone. “Whenever I am here, I clock 20,000 steps and it helps me keep fit... being fit is very important,” said Sambhaji Raje, a Rajya Sabha member, who is a descendent of legendary Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and social reformer Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj. He is currently the Chairperson of Raigad Development Authority and oversees the restoration of the Raigad Fort. As part of the work, he needs to be driven down from Kolhapur and visit the fort, known as Durg-Raj Raigad or King of Forts or Gibraltar of the East. The 51-year-old Sambhaji Raje is spearheading the cause of the Maratha reservation.

Mrityunjay Bose, Mumbai

Is Kanimozhi getting her due in DMK?

The invitation for the release of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin’s autobiography has an interesting name against the column, ‘welcome speech’. It is none other than Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, the DMK’s face in New Delhi and Stalin’s half-sister. This is probably the first time that Kanimozhi’s name is part of the invitation for a DMK event where national leaders are participating, though she has been the party’s face in New Delhi for long. The timing is significant as it comes two months after Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi opened a front with her on including women in his youth wing despite the party possessing a dedicated women’s wing under Kanimozhi. Off late, Kanimozhi and Stalin have displayed a lot of warmth at public events. Finally, Kanimozhi seems to be getting her due in the DMK.

ETB Sivapriyan, Chennai