Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first stop after landing in Seychelles was the Giant Tortoise Enclosure at the Seychelles National Botanical Garden. He met the Aldabra giant tortoise, a species native to Seychelles and among the largest and longest-living on Earth, with some having lived for more than two centuries. The tortoise also symbolises the special friendship between India and Seychelles. In 2014, Seychelles gifted two Aldabra giant tortoises to the Alipore Zoological Gardens in Kolkata. A few years later, more tortoises were gifted to a zoo in Hyderabad.
Mango Flavoured Diplomacy
BJP national president Nitin Nabin this week sent mangoes to 82 Heads of Missions in New Delhi with a personal note. The note told the story of each of the four varieties of mangoes — Kesar, Dusseheri, Banaganapalli and Langda — the tale of their unique flavour, taste and region.
Hired and ‘Retired’ Same Day
At times, the lethargic government machinery works at a lightning speed. Faced with a threat of strike by the Himachal Road and Transport Corporation drivers and conductors recently, the government released an advertisement to hire 650 drivers on a temporary basis. The next day, walk-in interviews were conducted, driving tests held and candidates selected. However, the joy of the selected candidates didn’t last long. As the HRTC staff withdrew their call for strike, the selected candidates “retired” the day they were hired.
Sunny File Mystery
While contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Gurdaspur, actor-turned-politician Sunny Deol allegedly committed an error in his election papers relating to expenditure limits, ‘violating’ the EC norms. Officials are said to have quietly shelved the file after directions from higher authorities. Now, with Opposition leaders planning to file an RTI application, officials are reportedly scrambling, unsure of where the file is.
Chai with Safai Sewaks
At Ludhiana’s DMC Hospital, the morning chorus of honking ambulances and tea vendors was interrupted by an unusual guest — Local Government Minister Harjot Singh Bains. He skipped the formalities and joined sanitation workers over a cup of tea. Seated on a roadside stool, he listened to complaints about waterlogging and lack of gloves.
Contributed by Aditi Tandon, Subhash Rajta, Ravi Dhaliwal and Manav Mander.
