RAISINA TATTLE: Barq resurrects his anthem protest



Shafiqur Rahman Barq plans to repeat his anthem protest

Bahujan Samaj Party's Lok Sabha member Shafiqur Rahman Barq has no regret over the controversy he stirred up during the last day of the Budget session by walking out when Vande Mataram was played.



On the eve of the Monsoon session, the MP said he would remain absent from Parliament on Monday to protest against the singing of the national song.



On May 8, Speaker Meira Kumar had rapped the member after noticing his misdemeanor and said this should never be done again. But Burq is clearly in no mood to listen.

Guest from Nepal



Nepali Congress president Sushil Koirala arrived in India on Sunday on a five-day visit. The trip comes at the invitation of the Government of India.



He will discuss Nepal's ongoing peace process and the Constituent Assembly elections with the Indian leadership.



Koirala will call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and BJP leader Sushma Swaraj among others.

CBI standoff



The government may disagree with the CBI's proposal to enhance the powers of its director, but the agency is likely to press its case to ensure there is no interference in its functioning.



The matter is listed for hearing before the Supreme Court on Tuesday. Sources said CBI's proposal that its director should report directly to the Minister of Personnel and Training is aimed at cutting red-tape as many files remain stuck at various levels in different ministries.



The post is currently held by Ranjit Sinha. Setting the stage for a standoff on the issue, the Centre had on August 2 rejected CBI's stand, saying an all-powerful chief without checks and balances entails the risk of potential misuse.

Shinde's surgery

Sushil Kumar Shinde is recovering from lung surgery

Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde underwent a surgery for a lung ailment at Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital on Sunday. Details of his ailment were not immediately known, but sources said Shinde will be discharged in a day or two. He will miss at least the first few days of the Monsoon session, which begins on Monday.

Before being admitted to hospital, Shinde had met Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan and government officials and also attended an Iftar party hosted by Chavan at the Haj House. He had also participated in a function at the National Sports Club. His sudden ailment has therefore baffled many.

Home truth



The move to create a separate Telengana has triggered an in-house war in the Congress.



While Congress leaders from Telengana and Seemandhra are already at each other's throats, Nagpur MP Vilas Muttemwar, a votary of separate state of Vidarbha, has accused fellow Maharashtrian and Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde of misleading the country on the issue.

In a scathing letter to Shinde, Muttemwar wrote that Shinde's statement that Telangana's case was considered because it was older and more deserving than Vidarbha is not based on historical facts and evidence.



