Waiting for the workaholic

The Cabinet meeting that cleared the Group of Ministers’ report on the Bhopal gas tragedy was initially scheduled for Friday morning. But it had to be postponed to evening, only for Pranab Mukherjee. The finance minister was in the US when his officers were informed that the Cabinet meeting had been scheduled for Friday morning because the Cabinet secretariat was under the impression that Mukherjee would be back in New Delhi by then. But Mukherjee quickly informed the Prime Minister’s Office that he would reach Delhi in the afternoon. The PM decided not to hold the meeting without Mukherjee. From the airport, Mukherjee came down straight to his office at North Block and, within an hour, was present at 7, Race Course Road, for the meeting.