Teach the MPs well

A group of school children from outside New Delhi visited the capital last week on an educational trip. Included in the agenda was a trip to Parliament. As luck would have it, that very day saw virtual pandemonium in Parliament, thanks to the unruly behaviour of many senior leaders including Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Which explains why — when eavesdropper stole a glance at the kids seated in the visitors gallery — they could be seen sniggering at the bizarre behaviour of their elected representatives. Maybe the next time round, for such visits are quite a routine occurrence, our honourable Members of Parliament could be gently reminded that impressionable children are watching the proceedings. That way, perhaps, they’ll behave a bit better!

Selective amnesia
Strange are the ways of politicians. Kerala power minister Kadavoor Sivadasan, much like his wily mentor K Karunakaran, doesn’t quite believe in sticking to ideology. When in the Rashtriya Socialist Party till a few years ago, he was a staunch environmentalist, who proudly went about waving the green flag whenever the occasion demanded it.

But ever since he has joined the Congress, his eco-shades have started fading a wee bit. In a startling turnaround, Minister Sivadasan now supports the possible revival of the Silent Valley Hydel project. Ironically, it was Mrs Indira Gandhi who was instrumental in halting the project –– long opposed by the Greens for its disastrous impact upon forest cover and the lion-tailed macaques –– in the past. Do changing times justify changing, even opposing, ideals? Eavesdropper leaves ye all to figure that one out.