OFF THE RECORD review on some of todays headlines /Vikrant Joshi/ www.vikrantjoshi.com
1. Mumbai air much cleaner than Delhi, Pune this Diwali: report
The credit to reduce this year’s noise & air pollution in Mumbai during Diwali, definitely goes to the school teachers here. It is a very rare sight to see adults enjoying bursting of crackers, except few cases here & there. Mostly crackers are got home to please the young children of the house. But the schools here in Mumbai had taken up on themselves to explain as young as 5 year old children the ill effects of bursting crackers and what pollution can do to us. My younger son who studies in Sr. Kg class, refused to let us spend money on crackers. A five year old was adamant on not bursting of crackers. But as times have changed, even we adults have started to respect our children’s opinions & take cognisance of what pollution has done to us Mumbaikars. We already have Deonar & Chembur to cope up with! Hope Pune & Delhi follows suit. Kudos to all the school teachers.
2. State may make “fast food” costly so you eat healthy.
In Mumbai, who cares for if their favourite restaurant or “tapri” increases the cost here & there ? The famous Ram & Sham bhelwala at Santacruz sells Bhelpuri & Sevpuri @ Rs. 60/- per plate. I have eaten @ Rs. 25/- per plate at the same place years ago. Kirti college Vada Pav is being sold at Rs. 20/-. I have eaten the same @ Rs. 8/- . Amar Juice centre, Haji Ali Juice Centre, Gurukrupa at Sion, Swati Snacks or even Macdonalds, Subway, Burger King, or as plush as ELCO are increasing their prices time & again. Boss, if you live in Thane, tell me for how much have you spent for a MISSAL years ago at Mamledar’s (opposite ZP Thane office) & how much we pay now? isn’t there an increase? But has that stopped us from eating there? People love their “fast food”. Eating healthy (salad bars have just started here) in my views has been a “culture” only seen in Mumbai & somewhat in Pune now. Plus people have a belief that whatever junk you eat, if you burn out no need to give your taste buds a miss! Also depression or “feeling low” is our middle name. And believe me only FOOD Is our saviour in those times!!
3. Simi encounter: MP police, not NIA set to conduct investigation
How can we spare Number 1) 8 terrorists who have broken the prison and fleed & Number 2) those who have killed a head constable? No state police or any team would take an insult such as this. They had to be killed. Call it a mandate or issue one, No state or reserve will take the insult lightly if you kill a cop. By the way, what does an encounter being legal mean?haha..
4. CM’s Diwali party for the Media.
It was a feast for 150 odd journalists gathered at Varsha Bungalow on last Saturday for the annual Diwali lunch hosted by CM Fadnavis. Was fortunate enough to be on the good side of the CM PRO this time, that I received an invitation to grace the occasion after 6 years of being in Journalism. Surprisingly at the beginning of the event, I saw CM’s PS, a Nagpurian Class 1 officer of Co-op Dept, touching feet of another Nagpurian Journalist of print media. Surprising isn’t it? Now I get the secret of this officer’s continuous association with the CMO even in the BJP regime even after he occupied the same chair during Congress-NCP rule. Hmm…anyways, CM was late by almost 30 mins for the event for which he profusely apologised! Best part was my father (Hemant Joshi) being a journalist for almost 32 years now, my uncle (Yadu Joshi) in the profession for 25 years now and me being in the profession for 6 years now, the people who were gathered at the event and occupied the front row seats were not known to me!! Guess the enthusiasm of what Journalism brings in, is only glamour, has motivated a few. Anyways, after the routine press address, wherein a Journo almost through his question gave an open invitation to the CM to his school in Thane, it was not an irritating session. After the press, people gathered to take selfies with the CM & some almost charged towards him to get their Diwali editions launched. In between all this, I & my 80 odd friends, had finished our lunch. Best part was when CM Fadnavis & his wife, Amruta, sat down for their lunch in between us and veteran Uday Tanpathak was in charge for making we 20 (rest fleed away as soon as they ate) just LAUGH. Apart from some rib tickling jokes, the fast one he pulled on another veteran Ajay Vaidya on being labelled as CKP, had the CM laugh his guts out. We all understood the presence of Madhav Bhandari, Keshav Upadhya the CM Pro team, DGIPR officials, but what was Ram Kadam doing again at Varsha?
5. मंत्रालयातच खादीला सोडचिट्ठी
Heard in Nagpur day before, CM Fadnavis has warned all his staff’s of dire consequences they will face if they are caught to be negligent in their duties. Fearing this, the Nagur team of the CMO is on their tows. “Will have to go home” is the mandate released by the CM. So the officers in the CMO here in Mumbai, be prepared for this announcement very soon. Also in regard to the GR for every employee to buy Khaadi & wear it once in a week to Mantralaya, CM sir, Khadi is boring & “old fashioned”. If you are unaware, even a clerk, or your Class 3 officers are wearing Cotton branded shirts & trousers of which basic MRP starts from rs. 2000/- Class 2, 1 or an IAS officers only believe in wearing Designer wears, barring a few, in which Khaadi dosen’t fit the bill.
6. My father Hemant Joshi’s 2 blogs in Marathi: Link is below …MUST READ
काका पुतणे आणि भांडणे 1: पत्रकार हेमंत जोशी http://vikrantjoshi.com/2016/11/1.html
काका पुतणे आणि भांडणे 2 : पत्रकार हेमंत जोशी http://vikrantjoshi.com/2016/11/2.html
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