Third Eye: Azam Khan seeking asylum!

Smriti Irani plays safe with Ray

There was a clear saffron hue to names picked up by HRD for the National Research Professorship. Among the appointees were Kannada author SL Bhyrappa whose portrayal of Tipu is controversial for many; AG Modak, a lecturer & Maha BJP MLC for 12 years; and SK Bali, a journalist & an RSS sympathiser. Irani’s new appointment — Prof JK Ray — is a Maulana Azad fellow who has written on Bangladesh, NE & India’s international ties.

Azam Khan seeking asylum!

On a day when his party leader was announced Janata Parivar’s head, UP minister Azam Khan’s statement stoked controversy when he told reporters in Lucknow he was ready to leave India if a foreign country offers him asylum. This sent the Twitterati aflutter with jokes ranging from exporting buffaloes to one-way ticket to moon. SP leaders in Delhi rued that Khan did not chose another day to vent his views.

Parrikar to move to 10 akbar road

After spending almost six months at the Naval mess at New Delhi’s Kota House, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar will finally move to his permanent residence in New Delhi next week. He is set to move into a sprawling 1 hectare bungalow at 10 Akbar Road as soon as he returns from South Korea. The one thing the defence minister will look forward to is homecooked food.

AAP leaders at Delhi secretariat

The Aam Aadmi Party seems to be taking a little time in getting along with the Delhi government bureaucracy. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal made a passing reference to the difficult relationship with city babus recently at a book launch. The bureaucracy, on the other hand, isn’t too happy about party volunteers occupying rooms in the secretariat and bossing people around.