TITTLE TATTLE

Tittle Tattle

Bangladesh Minister for Health, Dr. Ammanullah, who was here on an official visit, surprised all by his friendly attitude and huge cache of knowledge about his subject. This is a far cry from many of our own ministers, who rarely know what they are talking of. Maybe ministers should be appointed by gauging how much they know and not by looking at how close they are to the powers that be!

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While talking to a select group of journalists, the Bangla Minister also revealed how he liked to deal directly with members of the Fourth Estate. If you don’t hide anything from them, you don’t have to worry about them writing nasty things about you, was his gem of advice. Any takers?

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Politicians are a funny lot. When they are given a minute, they want to take your hours. This is the complaint of many people, specially journalists, who have to attend formal functions where the leaders are speakers. Well, maybe you naive lot haven’t heard the saying, “Give and inch to a politician, and he wants to be a ruler”!

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Being a journalist becomes difficult, specially when other fellow journalists start taking a swipe at you. A Himalayan pen pusher received much flak from a People’s scribe, when the former reportedly asked awkward questions to the present Pakistani helmsman while on a visit to that country. Let’s just hope pens are not used as swords in this duel of words.

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Talking of squabbles, people were quite taken aback when Minister for Communication JP Gupta took a huge swipe at former PM Sher Bahadur Deuba. Well, this political battle may have ended for the time being, but it is sure, Deuba will not make Gupta a minister, if he becomes the Prime Minister. Are you taking notes Mr. Deuba?