Tryst with the sanyasan

Earlier this month, I had an opportunity to do my own version of "follow the leader". And the leader happened to be none other than Uma Bharti -- one of India's most controversial and charismatic right-wing political leaders.

She was begining her Janadesh yatra -- the latest in the long list of yatras she has embarked -- from Vindhyachal in eastern Uttar Pradesh on the southern banks of river Ganga and I was assigned to cover it for the first two days. Here are a couple of stories that I filed...

Uma vows to form new govt in UP
Uma says she regrets her return to BJP in 2004


During the first week, I covered the airport employee's strike in Delhi too. It was a good experience and gave me quite a good exposure too.


Services affected in Delhi airport
Airport strike evokes mixed response; Govt warns of ESMA
Left trade unions criticise Patel; warn govt
Air services unaffected; inconvenience to passengers in Delhi

MBA aspirant fails to make it
New Delhi, Feb 2 : Stranded because of a strike by airport employees, an MBA aspirant from Mumbai could not appear for her entrance test here today.
Nidhi Chopra said: “My year-long efforts are lost. Who will compensate for that?” Nidhi, accompanied by her parents, came here to appear for the entrance test in a private institute. She came out of the airport premises, but could not reach her examination centre.
The agitating employees had blocked the approach road. She protested but was left stranded for about three hours. Scores of striking airport staff today blocked all entry and exit points at the domestic terminal here, causing traffic snarls, even as flights landed and left here on the second day of the strike against the “privatisation” of Delhi and Mumbai airports.
Protestors blocked all roads leading to the terminal, leaving passengers stranded and forcing them to walk for at least a mile to get into their vehicles. Many parts of the airport premises and roads plunged into darkness as protestors removed lights and electric fuses from the lighting equipment.
The striking employees of the Airports Authority of India vowed to continue their road blockade until the government shelved its airport privatisation plans.

AAI strike: Venkaiah, Jogi face ire
New Delhi, Feb 2 : Former BJP President M Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday faced the ire of striking employees at the airport in Delhi when they deflated the tryes of his vehicle and tried to block him from entering the terminal.
About a hundred protesters rushed towards Naidu's car as soon as it stopped in front of the domestic terminal at around 3 pm, apparently to surround him and stop him from proceeding to take his flight. Sensing danger, the BJP leader rushed to the VIP terminal.
Disappointed, the angry protestors, shouting anti-privatisation slogans, then deflated the tyres of his car. However, security forces on duty denied to comment on the incident.
Earlier in the day, former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi also had to face a tough time when his car was stopped at the entrance by agitating workers. Security personnel had to escort him to the terminal gate.