Harkishan Singh Surjeet Bhawan on Kotla Road is home to the CPM party school, where they train their cadre and leaders. It is also the go-to spot for seminars and press conferences. With five floors and two basements, the building sits on land granted by the government in 2008. The construction was funded by contributions from party supporters, and it even has residential facilities. Given the growing number of visitors, now plans are on for opening a canteen that serves three meals and snacks throughout. The menu could figure South Indian dishes in a big way — probably because that is where CPM has its most electoral presence and source of most visitors to Surjeet Bhawan!Caught in deputation cross hairs Not a good news for four senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers of Uttarakhand cadre, who have been debarred from central deputation in Delhi or abroad. Those who have been debarred by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, the cadre-controlling authority for IPS officers, include 2005-batch officers Neeru Garg and Mukhtar Mohsin, and 2006-batch officers Arun Mohan Joshi and Rajiv Swaroop. The Uttarakhand government had recommended the names of eight IPS officers to the Union government for central deputation in December last year. On January 4, the state wrote to MHA expressing its inability to send four of the officers, citing various reasons. However, the Centre had already approved the deputation of all the eight officers and made provision for their deployment in various forces. Following the state’s letter, the MHA wrote back clarifying that the four officers would be prohibited from central deputations or going abroad in service of the country in future, if they are not deployed within a month.New governor, new rulesUnlike his predecessor Arif Mohammed Khan, new Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar seems to have adopted a different strategy in engaging with media persons during his visits to the national capital. On his recent visit to Delhi on Friday, Arlekar disappointed the journalists, who thronged Kerala House to get a sound bite.Moreover, the journalists received a message from the Resident Commissioner’s office the next day that the Governor does not want media presence in Kerala House during his visits. Media will be informed beforehand if the Governor wants to meet them, said the message. This is in contrast to Arif Mohammed Khan’s style of functioning. During his visits to Delhi, Khan would meet the media multiple times.His statements in Delhi often sparked controversies, given the acrimonious ties between him and the CPM-led government in Kerala. Khan’s five-year tenure in ‘God’s own country’ was marked by constant tussles with the Pinarayi Vijayan government over various issues. After taking charge, Arlekar, who shares close ties with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, said that working together with the state government is the way forward and that the Governor post is above party lines.
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