Turning the tablas

I feel sorry for the environment minister.Huh? I remember seeing Jairam Ramesh having a gala time at a book launch event recently.

I feel sorry for the environment minister. Huh? I remember seeing Jairam Ramesh having a gala time at a book launch event recently.

I am talking about Jayanthi Natarajan, the current environment minister. She recently compared herself to a mridangam, the tabla-like instrument beaten from both sides.Ouch, But what prompted her to draw such a comparison? Is she thinking of switching to a diesel car to curb her fuel expenses without upsetting either the activists or sending out wrong signals to her peers in the government?

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Not quite. She is lamenting being caught between the industry and activists who accuse her and her ministry of stalling growth while not doing much for the environment. It’s difficult to not see red trying to keep everyone green. It sure is. But I hope that Natarajan won’t sacrifice her ministry’s objectives for the welfare of industry. The Rio summit is round the corner, she shouldn’t make any wrong moves.

It’s still doubtful how much it will help her to deal with critics. Their carbon footprints are everywhere. Where are you going with that?

You know, she should beat her own mridangam a bit and that way people will talk more about the minister than the ministry.

Do say: What would Jairam Ramesh do?