The government is making a desperate attempt to be seen working on administrative measures and reforms that will improve its battered image.
The government is making a desperate attempt to be seen working on administrative measures and reforms that will improve its battered image. The UPA team (read Congress) has been on a charm offensive in the run up to the winter session of parliament, and of the forthcoming assembly elections.
Congress in power had not been known to be media-friendly. It has been different in the last few weeks, especially after Team Anna’s campaign against corruption and the demand for the Jan Lokpal Bill of the Hazare group.
The image that took a beating then is slowly being revived by the UPA ministers. From off-the-record meeting, the ministers are slowly coming out in open and talking again. But very cautiously, in a measured tone, and limiting themselves on only their ministry matters. None wants to talk about any controversy.
Last week culture minister Kumari Selja had a media briefing with no new or substantial announcements to make. Parliamentary affairs minister of state Rajiv Shukla hosted an informal dinner for journalists, which was attended by petroleum minister Jaipal Reddy, information and broadcasting minister Ambika Soni and Congress party media cell chairman Janardhan Dwivedi, who freely interacted with the journalists.
This week law and justice minister Salman Khurshid called a press conference to catch up with his media friends even though he too had nothing new to add. Khurshid, however, said the government is working towards making Lokpal a Constitutional body just like CAG and Election Commission.
But it is clear that post- Hazare onslaught, the ministers of the UPA government are generally keeping a low profile. Also, the media interaction of the GoM formed to brief reporters on the issues related to government too has suddenly gone quiet.
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