DISTANT DIPLOMACY
THE WEEK|March 22, 2020
Namaste is the flavour of the season, especially in Delhi’s diplomatic circles. The reason: Covid-19. Handshakes are avoided and diplomatic missions have issued guidelines to employees to avoid cheek kissing and to stay at home in case of a flu. At the International Womens’ Day celebration at the Dutch embassy, the deputy chief of mission, Anneke Adema, had the namaste down pat— each guest was greeted with one. Just for good measure, the embassy gave gifts to the attendees tiny wooden clogs and a small bottle of sanitiser.
DISTANT DIPLOMACY

BUILDING BRIDGES?

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla stayed away from Parliament for three days as he was reportedly anguished over the conduct of the members who disrupted house proceedings over the Delhi riots. In his absence, Biju Janata Dal MP Bhartruhari Mahtab conducted the proceedings and conveyed the speaker’s angst. This fuelled talks about the BJP allotting the deputy speaker’s post, which has been vacant for 10 months, to the BJD. Incidentally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to BJD founder Biju Patnaik on March 5 (his 104th birth anniversary) and said he had worked tirelessly for India’s progress and pioneered Odisha’s development. Modi also tweeted an unclassified page of an Intelligence Bureau report from 1945, which said Patnaik, then a pilot, had flown “underground leader” Ram Manohar Lohia from Delhi to Kolkata, and praised his bravery.

PULLING THE PURSE STRINGS

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FLERE HISTORIER FRA THE WEEKSe alt
A golden girl
THE WEEK India

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One of India's most formidable beauties passed away earlier this month. The odd thing is she would absolutely hate this obituary; she hated being written about and avoided publicity for all of her nine decades. Indira Aswani was 93 when she died. But anyone who encountered her, even briefly, was in such awe of her grace and poise, and one could not but remember her forever.

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The interest in wine is growing delightfully in India
THE WEEK India

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THE WEEK India

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India is not a controlling big brother
THE WEEK India

India is not a controlling big brother

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Comrade with no foes
THE WEEK India

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Lal Salaam, Comrade Yechury-you were quite a guy!

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THE WEEK India

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In her first political bout, Vinesh Phogat rides on the anti-BJP sentiment across Haryana

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MAKE IN MANIPUR
THE WEEK India

MAKE IN MANIPUR

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THE WEEK India

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