THE BUS TO PAKISTAN
Advani backs Indo-Pak confederation
The "three Bs" -- bus yatra, Budget and Bihar, had conveyed that the Vajpayee government is not only stable, but working as well, the home minister said.
THE BIHAR GOVERNMENT'S DISMISSAL
State Congressmen suggest face-saving plan
They have asked party chief Sonia Gandhi to get Laloo Yadav to either replace Rabri Devi as chief minister or bring in two deputy chief ministers, one dalit and the other Muslim.
PM seeks co-operation of all parties
No economic progress and social change can be effected by violating the rule of law and the Constitution and shouting slogans or forming senas, Vajpayee said.
THE AKALI POWER STRUGGLE
Majority in DGMC backs Tohra
They also announced that the tercentenary of the Khalsa Panth would be celebrated under the leadership of suspended Akal Takht jathedar Ranjit Singh.
OTHER REPORTS
Thambi Durai denies AIADMK hand in Shivappa's termination
But the law minister said his department is looking into the validity of the judge's pronouncements. "We are examining whether all his judgments and directives, or only those after he crossed the age of retirement, are valid in law."
Prosecution case against Nadeem does not make a sustainable case even of conspiracy: Lawyer
"The prosecution allegation that Nadeem schemed with Abu Salem to kill Gulshan Kumar (which is never admitted and is emphatically denied), even if taken to be true, also does not make a sustainable case of conspiracy to kill Gulshan Kumar," says Nadeem's Bombay-based advocate Majeed Memon.
Ramamurthy defends Thambi Durai
The Union petroleum minister criticised a section of lawyers and the media for highlighting the procedures adopted in issuing the communication and ignoring its essence.
Nuclear deterrence doesn't make war redundant, says army chief
General Ved Malik said the country still needs to maintain a strong conventional force.
US secrets bring Chinese nukes up-to-date
The White House was told of the full extent of China's spying in the summer of 1997, on the eve of the first US-Chinese summit in eight years. But the White House sought to play down the issue.
River Ganga is deserting Kanpur
The deserted bathing ghats are the only indication that the river once flowed close to the industrial city. Now, it is shifting course at a furious pace.
Vajpayee promises Vananchal soon
Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh were left out of the reorganisation of states on the basis of the language, he said, but added that they should not be divided on the basis of language.
Pawar hints at new-look leadership for Maharashtra Congress
The leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha said he was personally involved in grooming a new crop of legislators who are young and educated to take up the party's reins.
Nehru's friend Myrdal was a British spy
The reputed social scientist reportedly contributed much economic intelligence about Sweden to the Allies during World War II.
Lankan experts begin investigating mass graves
The team has been ordered to submit its findings by March 26 to decide whether to dig up the area in Jaffna and exhume the bodies, if any are indeed buried there.
Coins of Kashmiri sultans dug up in Srinagar
In a significant numismatic discovery, 1,450 copper coins belonging to the Sultanate period have been unearthed at Barthana Qamarwari.
THE REDIFF SPECIALS
Inside the PMO
This is the most powerful prime minister's office in 10 years. A definitive guide to how it works:
Festival of war
With shining swords, long spears, conical turbans and twirled-up moustaches, the Nihangs gallop past on frothing horses, raising clouds of dust, as they celebrate Hola Mohalla every March.
THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS
People are fed up with Laloo Yadav!
'They realise they have been reduced to penury during his rule and that of his wife, Rabri Devi. And they know he is the most corrupt chief minister the state has ever seen,' says Kuldip Nayar.
Let there be peace
'It is high time a follow-up is initiated to Vajpayee's Lahore visit. Everybody knows nothing can be achieved on Kashmir. The strategy of the prime ministers should be to take steps in other areas. Meanwhile, keep talking about Kashmir -- it will keep the fundamentalist shut,' suggests Rajiv Shukla.
A truth 'bout Bihar
'It was the soft-spoken Dr Manmohan Singh's hard plea at the hurriedly convened CWC that persuaded the party to do the somersault on Bihar. Capital Buzz. Gossip from the Delhi Durbar.
We shouldn't be exporting food
'Tamil Nadu is going to lose a few Lok Sabha seats after the 2001 census. Wow! Lesser the number of MPs, lesser the noise in Parliament, lesser corruption, lesser leeches feeding off the exchequer. I don't understand why our dear chief minister is cribbing,' says A Ganesh Nadar.
March 6
THE BIHAR GOVERNMENT'S DISMISSAL
Home ministry recommends that central rule be revoked
The ministry's reasoning is that if the Bihar resolution is delayed in the Upper House, the government will be forced to introduce the state budget in the Lok Sabha. And since that is a money bill, its defeat will result in its fall.
Bedlam in Rajya Sabha continues
Deputy Chairperson Najma Heptulla ruled that the resolution on Bihar would be taken up "according to the convenience of the government".
THE CHRISTIAN ATTACKS ROW
Rajya Sabha discusses attacks on Christians
Janata Dal member Kamla Sinha regretted that distrust and intolerance is being fostered against Christians; Arun Shourie (BJP) said vested interests had used the incidents to raise communal issues.
Religious leaders oppose attempts to politicise conversions
Rev Cyril Mar Besalios, metropolitan archbishop of Trivandrum, said the terms 'religion' and 'conversion' are perceived and explained differently and should be clarified before beginning a debate on the topic.
THE BHAGWAT DISMISSAL
Delhi HC rejects petition on dismissal
A division bench of the court dismissed the petition on grounds of maintainability since the admiral had not approached the court in person for relief.
THE AKALI POWER STRUGGLE
Tohra asks for 'conscience vote'
In a desperate bid to save himself from being ousted by Badal's supporters, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president appealed to all SGPC members to "vote according to their conscience" at the Mar 22 general house meeting.
OTHER REPORTS
Agni II missile test put off
But Pinaka, the indigenously built rocket launcher, was test-fired. And preparations are on to test Dhanush.
Lok Shakti dares J H Patel to call fresh poll
Lok Shakti general secretary M Raghupathy demanded that the Karnataka CM dissolve the state assembly and face fresh elections "as the Janata Dal government has lost the mandate of the people".
Justice Shivappa issue shuts courts in Madras
The Madras High Court Advocates' Association has boycotted court proceedings to protest against the "executive interference" in determining the judge's age.
'The independence of the judiciary is at stake'
So remarked Justice C Shivappa, when asked about the communication from Union Law Minister M Thambidurai stating that the President had determined that he completed the age of superannuation on December 11, 1998.
PMK denies need for President's rule in TN
In a stand at sharp variance with that of AIADMK chief Jayalalitha, PMK founder Ramadoss said the prevailing situation does not warrant such a step.
ICMR seeks ban on human cloning
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dalit Ezhilmalai said the document has been sent for comment to leading scientific and non-scientific institutions, medical colleges, state health departments, faculty of law, and eminent citizens.
Subramania Bharati's associate Arya is dead
Spurred by Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak's vision of swaraj, he had performed several daring feats against the British colonialists.
Sainthood for Mother Teresa next year
After Father Brian arrives in Calcutta he will list her miracles and petition the Vatican. For beatification the Vatican will ask for Mother's grave at Mother House to be opened.
Urs at Baba Budangiri shrine begins
Police have made elaborate arrangements following the controversy in December last year when the VHP and Bajrang Dal had threatened to 'liberate' the Sufi shrine near Chikmagalur in Karnataka.
Experts to probe 'mass grave' in Lanka
An inquiry is on to investigate claims that about 300 civilians were summarily killed by the military and buried together.
Sunil Dutt out to spread goodwill in South Asia
The expedition has set off from Colombo on a 15,000km journey to inspire the people of the region to live in friendship.
THE REDIFF INTERVIEW
'In a shootout, no one has time for niceties. You kill or get killed'
"We do not ask for protection. What we ask for is recognition. We may get monetary rewards every time we catch a criminal. But that is not what we risk our lives for. We risk our lives for recognition, for official acclaim. And we do not get enough of that." Assistant Police Inspector Vijay Salaskar on what it is to be Bombay's fabled encounter expert.
THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS
Bofors and Bihar
'On February 22, the Supreme Court handed down a ruling on the Quattrocchis, ordering both husband and wife to present themselves to the Indian authorities no later than March 15. Within hours, the Congress Working Committee was summoned, and it was decided to make a serious attempt to upset the Vajpayee ministry by using Bihar as an excuse,' says T V R Shenoy.
A billion reasons
'Each of us who would build a better India must incorporate into our efforts a desire to manage our numbers. Procrastination is fuel to the fire,' says Ashwin Mahesh.
Jammu & Kashmir: Foreign mercenary, fireman killed
Maharashtra: Cops punished for attack on Bombay ex-mayor
Headmaster punishes lady teacher for 'not co-operating'
The incident occurred at Magadi in Karanataka's Chikmagalur. District Deputy Director for Public Instructions C V Tirumala Rao said the headmaster was moved to violence because he felt the teacher had not evaluated answer sheets properly.
March 5
THE BIHAR GOVERNMENT'S DISMISSAL
BJP tells government to table Bihar resolution
Party president Kushabhau Thakre told the prime minister that tabling the motion in the Upper House is the best way to expose the double standards and anti-dalit credentials of the Congress, but the Union Cabinet is not so sure.
RLM members stall Parliament
Rajya Sabha Chairman Krishan Kant said no one could force the government to move the resolution to ratify President's rule in Bihar. "If they don't [move the resolution], the proclamation lapses," he said.
BJP accuses Laloo of instigating killings
A joint secretary in the Union home ministry told Rediff On The NeT that extremists from Chatra, Daltonganj, and Hazaribagh districts in south Bihar are sneaking into central Bihar to help their colleagues fight the Ranvir Sena.
No need to deploy army, says Nitish
The Union railway minister claimed that the situation in the state had improved since the imposition of President's rule.
THE AKALI POWER STRUGGLE
Militancy could return, warns Congress
State Congress president Amarinder Singh said the Badal-Tohra feud, coupled with the severe economic crunch facing the state, could incite terrorist elements across the border to exploit the situation.
THE CHRISTIAN ATTACKS ROW
Puri shankaracharya attacks Sangh Parivar, calls them zealots
He said the "so-called self-made saviours of Hinduism" have tried to pressurise the "genuine saints" to toe their line. "Even during Mrs Indira Gandhi's rule, sadhus were not subjected to such controversies, threats and harassment."
THE BUS TO PAKISTAN
Viewers' gallery to be set up at Wagah
The gallery will be constructed at the border check-post for local people and tourists to witness the 'retreat ceremony' every evening.
Sharief says talks with India were 'fruitful'
"The ice has started breaking. But we have a long way to go,'' the Pakistani prime minister said in an interview with Dhaka's Ittefaq newspaper.
THE REDIFF SPECIALS
If Karachi is Pakistan's heart, Lahore is its soul
Vajpayee's family shopped at Pace, the huge shopping complex owned by Imran Khan. Grand-daughter Niharika picked up a marble Zamzama for grandpa. The PM wanted his family to shop at the Anarkali Market where he roamed about in his youth. A Lahore diary.
Kashmiri children see India in a new light
Many of the students on the trip (all Muslim) say their favourite sight was the Jama Masjid. In fact, students on earlier trips have said they were surprised to even see the mosque standing, as stories circulating in Kashmir had told of how "Hindustanis had razed the Jama Masjid to the ground".
OTHER REPORTS
Calcutta's archbishop to press for Teresa's sainthood
"I earlier wanted to petition the pope in 2000, but later decided to advance it to July to hasten the canonisation process," said Rev Henry D'Souza.
Russian defence minister to visit India
During his five-day visit beginning March 11, Marshal Igor Sergeev will meet Prime Minister Vajpayee, Defence Minister Fernandes and the chiefs of the three defence services.
Don't overlook Pandits' plight, says Pallone
The Democratic congressman said he had urged Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to raise the issue whenever the US discusses Kashmir with India.
US urges China to respond to Indian overtures
Albright encouraged Chinese officials to respond to the "positive statement" by External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh, calling for the opening of true communications between the two countries.
US wants to restore ties with Pak military
"We want to see the Pakistan military continuing to look westward," Assistant Secretary of State Karl Inderfurth said, indicating he did not want it to be influenced by the Taliban that dominate Afghanistan.
Mizoram collects rat tails to arrest famine
The rats attack first the flowering bamboo and then the surrounding vegetation. Eighty thousand have been killed after the agriculture department offered a rupee for every rodent tail brought in.
Bin Laden has fallen out with Taliban, says US
His days of refuge in Afghanistan may be numbered, the New York Times said, quoting senior officials.
THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS
Ever wonder why crime is on the rise?
'Crimes by the middle and upper class, by powerful politicians, are ignored; but huts on the street are swiftly destroyed. If you are weak enough to live on the streets, your illegality will be held against you. If you are not, it will not,' says Dilip D'Souza.
Base Instinct
'Indians have very unrealistic expectations from Indian journalists. It's like watching a deep-kissing shot in movies: Hollywood stars doing it seems natural, but Shah Rukh smooching Kajol gives most of us a queer hem-haw feeling. Call it Bharatiya sabhyata if you will; I call it hypocrisy,' says Varsha Bhosle.
Bihar: CPI politician shot dead in Samastipur
Maharashtra: Bombay ex-mayor Vaidya hurt in shootout
Punjab: KLF terrorists surrender
Tamil Nadu: IUML opposes ban on Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam
Tamil Nadu: Madras HC judge Shivappa found 'overage', retired
THE WEATHER
Heat wave in Saurashtra, Konkan worsens
Heat wave conditions also prevailed in Jammu and Kashmir, west Rajasthan and Kutch. Day temperatures were above normal across north, central and western India.
March 4
THE BIHAR GOVERNMENT'S DISMISSAL
Government looking for ways to get out of Bihar hole
With caste violence continuing unabated, Vajpayee wants to revoke President's rule. So do most of the coalition partners. But the BJP leadership and the Samata Party believe the government should ask the Supreme Court to reinterpret the law on ratification.
How the RJD-Congress deal was struck
Agitated Bihar Congressmen said a minister in the Rabri Devi government, Basant Singh, acted as the conduit between Laloo Prasad Yadav and Arjun Singh. Their secret understanding led to the Congress opposition to President's Rule in the state.
Rabri Devi rules out change in leadership
"I have the full support of party legislators and none has questioned my leadership," she said.
Centre won't consider judicial option: Jethmalani
The law minister admitted that imposition of President's rule without a majority in the Rajya Sabha was a gamble.
Naxalites kill 4 Ranvir Sena men
A dozen PWG men attacked Bhimpura village in Jehanabad district and fired on several people sleeping in their farms. They then took the four men outside the village and shot them.
THE REDIFF INTERVIEW
'Once the Rabri Devi government is restored, nobody will be able to dislodge it for a long, long time'
'The Dalits, the downtrodden, the poor and the oppressed -- they all are solidly behind me because Laloo Yadav and his RJD are their only hope. That is the reason why our party has been in power in Bihar for the last 10 years.' Laloo Prasad Yadav on the inevitability of his wife's return to power.
THE AKALI POWER STRUGGLE
Five Akali leaders seek Tohra's expulsion
The signatories to the statement were SAD vice-president and agriculture minister Gurdev Singh Badal, general secretary and finance minister Kanwaljit Singh, general secretary and Rajya Sabha member Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, RS member Balwinder Singh Bhunder, and political affairs committee member and PR minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan.
THE CHRISTIAN ATTACKS ROW
Gujarat recalls circular on Christian census
The controversial circular issued last month by the intelligence department of the Gujarat police, seeking information on Christians, Muslims and Hindus, has been withdrawn with the department maintaining that the 'circular was not required'.
Dangs likely to become political minefield
A study suggests that the Union government must pay special attention to the problems of tribals in the district and allocate adequate funds for their development.
OTHER REPORTS
One more Karnataka minister quits
Deve Gowda's Man Friday, C M Ibrahim, hit out at the state party leadership for "ignoring the interests of the minorities" and warned that if the mistakes are not rectified, the party will not win more than 21 seats in the November election.
Vigil stepped up on LoC to prevent infiltration
Official sources, quoting intelligence reports, said a large number of militants, mostly from Pakistan, Pak-occupied Kashmir, Afghanistan and other Muslim countries are awaiting an opportunity to sneak across the border.
No stable alternative to Vajpayee government, says Moopanar
The TMC leader predicted that even if fresh elections are held to the Lok Sabha, there will be a coalition government at the Centre.
Defence ministry okays indigenous aircraft carrier
Vice-Admiral Madhvendra Singh, flag officer commanding-in-chief, Western Naval Command, said work on the project would start sometime next year.
MPs' panel suggests monitoring of media
The committee said the penetration of Western culture through the media has had a detrimental effect on the youth and history ought to be presented to students in the right perspective.
Goa election likely to be held on May 29
The commission also hopes to declare the results on the same day, as Goa will be the first state in the Indian Union to use electronic voting machines in all constituencies.
Militants under pressure to pack their guns
Rural groups, literary organisations and intellectuals had already taken the initiative to convince members of these groups that violence has hampered development in Assam for over a decade.
Madurai to host meet on Lankan Tamils
A one-day conference in support of the cause of the Lankan Tamils will be held in Madurai on March 7, under the aegis of the Tamizhar Desiya Iyakkam.
Brooklyn jury convicts millionaire Indian in contract killings
Gurmeet Singh Dhinsa, who made millions running a chain of gas stations in New York, has been convicted of ordering two contract killings to protect his mob-style operation. He could face the death penalty.
Osama bin Laden vanishes
But in Kandahar, a dust-clogged city of 200,000 people where bin Laden lived only 10km from Mullah Mohammed Omar, the Taliban chief, many people believe he is still in the area.
THE REDIFF SPECIAL
Why are we so apathetic about defence expenditure?
'The Indian public has never grudged a single paisa spent on our armed forces. But surely the defence ministry owes it to the public whether their money is being spent wisely and show some evidence that we are getting the defence that we pay for,' says Admiral J G Nadkarni.
THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS
Lahore Declaration: India's sellout on Kashmir
'Where is the question of India now agreeing that Kashmir is disputed territory? It is all in Pakistan's hyped diplomacy and usual double speak, where else? Or is there really something else that we have not been told?' asks Arvind Lavakare.
'The law of averages and Sonia Gandhi'
Bihar Congressmen can't but wonder if riding on Laloo's pyjama strings is the same as riding to power on their own, if the Congress president is suffering from any delusion about the ideal route to power,' says Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
THE WEATHER
Heat wave arrives in Western India
Moderate heat wave conditions prevailed in Saurashtra and Kutch, and in parts of north Konkan.
March 2
THE BIHAR GOVERNMENT'S DISMISSAL
Government ready to surrender on Bihar
Even as Vajpayee & Co have accepted the return of Rabri Devi in Bihar, the Samata Party, prime mover behind the invocation of Article 356, is keen on a public-interest litigation in the Supreme Court to exploit the grey areas in the S R Bommai judgment.
Options open on Bihar, says Kumaramangalam
The parliamentary affairs minister said the Congress party's about-turn on Bihar is anti-dalit and amounts to committing hara-kiri.
Congress denies forcing RJD to replace Rabri
Party spokesperson Girija Vyas said, "It is none of our business who should be the chief minister. The party's sole concern is to see that the dalits and other depressed sections of society get full protection and there should be no atrocities."
THE BUS TO PAKISTAN
After the détente, the tough talk
Sharief is quite aware of the mischief the right-wing parties can cause with the Kashmir card, an emotive issue he himself has used in the past. So he can scarcely be seen to be negotiating with India without referring to Kashmir.
Gunfire breaks out again across LoC
The lull in the firing by the Pakistani Army when Vajpayee and Sharief met in Lahore was broken by a barrage of 19,000 rounds of ammunition on a single day in Akhnoor sector adjoining Rajouri division where militants had earlier gunned down 23 people.
Farooq's volte-face on Pandits surprises J&K
The CM, who had all along maintained that the migrants should return home immediately, said, "They will not be forced to return unless they are confident about the security scenario."
Advani worried by arms build-up in Kashmir
The home minister said foreign mercenaries now dominate the scene, thereby giving Pakistan a stranglehold over prominent militant groups.
53 Indian fishermen jailed in Pakistan
A Pakistani court has jailed 53 Indians for fishing illegally in that country's waters.
THE CHRISTIAN ATTACKS ROW
Wadhwa Commission officials visit Baripada
Top officials of the commission set up by the Centre to inquire into the killings of Australian missionary Graham Stains and his two sons in Keonjhar visited the area on Sunday.
OTHER REPORTS
This is also India
While the media harps on violence between the majority and minorities, Sugunakara Reddy has set an example by building a mosque in his village in Andhra Pradesh.
TN may pay the price for checking population
If the resolution adopted unanimously by the Tamil Nadu assembly is any indication, states that have recorded lower population growth rates may have their representation in Parliament slashed.
Indira Gandhi finds a home in Calcutta
Guess who Marx, Engels and Lenin will have for company at Curzon Park?
Pallone's boon for NRIs
The Democratic congressman has introduced a legislation in the House of Representatives that will permit the admission to the United States of non-immigrant visitors who are spouses and children of permanent resident 'green card' holders.
THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS
Maneka's motives, BJP's mission
'How can Vajpayee justify keeping this woman in his Cabinet? Or is it part of the BJP's mission to help nurture the next generation of the Gandhi dynasty?' asks Vir Sanghvi.
No action on defence reforms
'Chief of Army Staff General Malik is angry that George Fernandes has not been able to keep his promise... The stumbling block in the reforms process is the lack of unanimity within the military itself,' says Major General (retd) Ashok K Mehta.
Andhra Pradesh: Parvathi stages walkout on workers' woes
Andhra Pradesh: EVMs to be used in 30 assembly constituencies
Punjab: Badal tells Tohra not to boycott Khalsa fete
THE WEATHER
Days beginning to get hotter across India
Day temperatures were above normal in Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Kashmir, Saurashtra, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, south-east Madhya Pradesh, Kutch, south Gujarat, the Konkan, Goa, north-central Maharashtra, coastal Karnataka, coastal Orissa, and some parts of Haryana, Punjab and the Bihar plateau.
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