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	Virendra Kapoor

December 4, 2001

	Not long ago, the BJP was the bitterest critic of what it called the 'adhinayakvad' or personality cult. The Sangh Parivar bigwigs never missed an opportunity to attack moves to portray an individual as the organisation. And so, they trenchantly criticised then prime minister Indira Gandhi for her attempts to build a cult around her persona. The Indira-is-India syndrome, which eventually led to the imposition of the Emergency, was officially and unofficially sold to a hapless nation throughout her era. Notably, none was more critical of Gandhi the phenomenon than Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Now cut to December 25, Vajpayee's birthday. In all major newspapers across the country were paid features aimed at glorifying 'Atal -- The Person, The Personality'. Various central government departments announced special projects\schemes to mark his 77th birthday. And courtiers in his durbar encouraged ordinary people, VIPs, industrialists et al to felicitate him personally. In a vivid reminder of the days of Indira Gandhi, Vajpayee's backroom boys gathered over 7,000 people at his home to wish him. Earlier in the day, the entire staff of the Prime Minister's Office assembled on the Christmas morning to do the same. And that reminds us, the BJP was also very critical of the practice of the entire council of ministers and chief ministers lining up at the airport to wish bon voyage to Indira Gandhi whenever she left on a foreign tour, and, on her return, to congratulate her on a `successful tour.' Today Vajpayee continues with that feudal routine. Wanted: A governorship Remember Balmiki Prasad Singh? The man L K Advani had removed unceremoniously as his home secretary and who subsequently wangled a most coveted job -- executive director, World Bank -- is on the prowl again. Singh's credentials for the WB assignment were always in great doubt, but he had been helped by a fellow Bihari to land the job, which spells, especially for Indian babus, loads of benefits. Our sources say he has set his eyes on a gubernatorial job, though some people insist he wouldn't mind the chief vigilance commissioner's post when incumbent N Vittal retires a few months on. Leave your brain outside The attack on Parliament has spawned many a morbid joke. Like the one about a senior Congress MP who tom-toms his bravery but was actually holed up in the toilet! But this one is about the state of affairs at the public broadcaster, Doordarshan. With security in government buildings on high alert, a senior producer was flummoxed when frisked thoroughly at the gate of the Doordarshan building in New Delhi. He asked if a VVIP was inside the building. Or whether there was a bomb alert. On being told that neither was the case, the producer remarked, "Now, I know why you are doing this. Clearly, Information & Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj has ordained that all producers be searched thoroughly so that none can carry, even unwittingly, a decent television programme inside!" POTO and security Post-December 13, there is a new awareness about security concerns. For instance, Law, Justice and Company Affairs Minister Arun Jaitley has accepted Z-category security. Central intelligence agencies had further hiked up the threat perception to him after his stout defence of the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance. Illustrations: Uttam Ghosh Mail us your comments Capital Buzz
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