How Madhuri Dixit 'stopped' Vajpayee from eating his favourite Gulab Jamuns ?
NEW DELHI, August 16: Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's love for food was legendary. So much in fact, that it took a clever plan by his aides to keep him from a plate of gulab jamuns at an official lunch. With some help from actor Madhuri Dixit, one of the guests.
As the former PM died this evening, close aides and journalists recalled his fondness for food, especially sweets and seafood; his favourite was a platter of prawns.
Senior journalist Rasheed Kidwai remembered how while attending an official lunch, the former prime minister headed to the food counter even though he was on a strict diet.
Worried about his health, aides quickly made a plan.
They immediately introduced Mr Vajpayee to Madhuri Dixit and sure enough, the film buff in him took over as the two went on to talk about movies.
"Meanwhile, the aides quickly removed the desserts from his line of vision," recalled Mr Kidwai.
Bureaucrats who worked with Mr Vajpayee said he always insisted on tasting the local cuisine during his tours.
"So it was puchkas in Kolkata, biryani and haleem in Hyderabad, Galouti kebabs in Lucknow. He specially liked his pakodas with lots of chat masala accompanied with masala tea," said one bureaucrat.
Those close to him recalled how he relished every meal.
Another senior journalist told PTI that several times, Mr Vajpayee cooked for her and other journalists.
"He would cook at least one dish for us. It could be a dessert or something non-vegetarian," she recalled.
A close aide said former PM Vajpayee used to pop salted peanuts throughout cabinet meetings and wanted his plate to be replenished regularly.
BJP leader Lalji Tandon, known as his protege, was tasked to bring him kebabs from Lucknow, Union Minister Vijay Goel brought him bedmi aloo and chaat from old Delhi. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, then BJP leader, would bring him prawns from Andhra Pradesh, said a close aide.
A journalist who went on trips with Mr Vajpayee recalled how he was the "most relaxed" PM she had ever travelled with as compared to his successors.
"For him these trips were not just about work. He was not averse even to the idea of extending trips. He ate his food and enjoyed, even while at work," she recalled.
Another aide, recalled how despite being unwell, former PM Vajpayee would keep having kaju and samosas.
"He wasn't spartan and he didn't pretend to be one. That is why he was so loved," he said.
Courtesy: www.ndtv.com
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Bihar govt to constitute 100 fast-track courts to expedite disposal of criminal cases: Home min
Patna (PTI): Bihar Home Minister Samrat Choudhary on Sunday announced that the state government will establish 100 fast-track courts (FTCs) to ensure the swift disposal of pending cases.
He said that the move also aims to ease the burden on regular courts for them to accord due attention to sensitive cases.
Choudhary said the decision in this regard has been made considering that over 18 lakh cases are pending before different courts in the state.
The constitution of FTCs will "bring in a big relief" to the judicial system and litigants, he said.
"To operationalise 100 FTCs across 38 districts and sub-divisions, the government will undertake large-scale recruitment," the home minister asserted in a statement.
He said that a total of 900 posts, including those of bench clerks, office clerks, stenographers, deposition writers, data entry operators, drivers, process servers and peons, will be filled.
Choudhary also announced that 79 courts will be designated as 'act courts' to fast-track cases related to the Arms Act. Swift resolution of such serious cases, he said, will strengthen law and order in the state.
The minister said that Patna alone will get eight fast-track courts, while four courts each will be set up in Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga and Bhagalpur. Three FTCs each are planned for Nalanda (Bihar Sharif), Rohtas (Sasaram), Saran (Chhapra), Begusarai, Vaishali (Hajipur), East Champaran (Motihari), Samastipur and Madhubani.
Similarly, two courts each will be established in West Champaran (Bettiah), Saharsa, Purnea, Munger, Nawada, Jehanabad, Arwal, Aurangabad, Kaimur (Bhabhua), Buxar, Bhojpur (Arrah), Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Siwan, Gopalganj, Supaul, Madhepura, Araria, Kishanganj, Katihar, Banka, Jamui, Sheikhpura, Lakhisarai and Khagaria. One FTC each is also proposed for the sub-divisional courts of Naugachia and Bagaha.
