Date:16/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/16/stories/2006051618830300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Reporter's Diary

Practising what

you preach

THERE SEEMS to be a huge difference between what politicians preach and practise. After inaugurating a matrimonial meet organised by the Devanga community here on Sunday, a Minister in the H.D. Kumaraswamy Ministry emphasised the need for people to go for simple marriages.

He also suggested that the rich should set an example for others by opting for simple marriages.

But the Minister obviously forgot that his daughter's wedding that was celebrated at the sprawling Palace Grounds recently was anything but simple as the guests saw.

Probably, the Minister could have though that the public memory is short.

Climatic changes

WHEN ONE travels across the south by road, the differences in geography and climate are noticeable even within a few hundred kilometres.

From the sweltering plains of a neighbouring State, you climb up around 7,500 feet above seal level to a cold climate and take out your woollens hurriedly.

All this within two hours of debating where you could decently stay shirtless while driving a car.

We in Bangalore are somewhat more fortunate.

Except from April and part of May, we really do not feel the heat and never mind what the "Greens" may have to proclaim about the "Greenhouse effect." We too have lost tree cover and even whole lakes to "development" but have become more vigilant now.

Perhaps not even too late, though more and more homes in the city are beginning to sport air conditioners these days.

Miraculous government

ACCORDING TO a Minister in the H.D. Kumaraswamy Ministry, everything concerning the Janata Dal (Secular)-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition government was a "miracle".

Speaking at a function organised by an educational institution, the Minister said: "The first miracle was the coalition forming the government. The second miracle was B.S. Yediyurappa becoming Deputy Chief Minister. The Government completing 100 days was the third miracle."

One has to wait for some more days for him to explain the fourth miracle.

K. Satyamurty,

Anil Kumar Sastry

K.V. Subramanya, K. Satyamurty, Anil Kumar Sastry