Freedom of choice!

Information and Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj may be a diehard Doordarshan loyalist but the staff at her 8 Safdarjang Lane residence don’t share her preferences. While in the inner chamber, the minister sings praises of DD in interviews to various publications, the waiting room outside showcases a rival private channel. Of course, we could cut the minister some slack — this could well be a public manifestation of Ms Swaraj’s belief in the freedom of choice. In which case, would it be possible to catch some Fashion TV please?

Bad timing
This one has left both the industry chambers red-faced — the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority chairman first chided Ficci, and then CII, for holding meets on insurance barely two weeks apart. At the Ficci round table, Mr N Rangachari wondered why the industry wanted to hear him speak at both the inaugural and valedictory sessions. He then griped about having to restate it all a few days later. CII didn’t have it any easier. At their meet, he pointed out that the speakers and the audience were virtually the same, so why couldn’t consumers and other industries be invited to air their views, in an attempt to induct some novelty. Wonder what the chambers will come up with at their next insurance dos!

We’re better
At the said meet, CII treated finance minister Yashwant Sinha to a presentation by GE’s Scott Bayman. After paying glowing tributes to India, Mr Bayman remarked that “China was growing better year after year, India was not”. Not having any of that, Mr Sinha diplomatically reminded Mr Bayman that India had ‘democracy’ going for it, ‘where things worked by consensus, albeit a bit slowly’. And for good measure, the FM had a dig at Pakistan, saying that a coup was being mounted the very day PM Vajpayee was taking his oath, the second time round!