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MAY 3
We are on probation, Advani tells BJP
Bharatiya Janata Party president L K Advani on Saturday admitted that the ''fractured'' nature of the
mandate clearly means the party has not yet ''fully won'' the
confidence of the people. "As things stand, one can even say the people have put us on
probation in our new job," he told his party's national executive meeting, and added that the first and
foremost imperative of national interest is good governance.
BJP plans changes in party constitution
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has begun the process of reviewing its constitution. A committee has been formed at the party's central office to examine various suggestions. The review is expected to be completed within three months. But the more urgent business of constituting the new team of party officials will be finalised after Kushabhau Thakre takes over as BJP president in Gandhinagar this weekend.
Law minister repeats demand for dismissing Karunanidhi
Union Law and Company Affairs Minister M
Thambidurai on Saturday reiterated the All India Anna DMK's demand for the dismissal
of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government in Tamil Nadu, alleging that the law and order
situation in the state was worsening day by day. Addressing a press conference in Karur in Tamil Nadu, he said the DMK government had no moral right to continue in office, as it had also failed to check
the prices of essential commodities.
PMK will stand by Jayalalitha even if she walks out of BJP coalition, says Ramadoss
tHE Pattali Makkal Katchi founder-leader asserted that the PMK would stand by All India Anna DMK general
secretary J Jayalalitha even if she decided to quit the BJP-led
government at the Centre. Replying to questions at a press conference in Madras, he said the
PMK would endorse any decision taken by Jayalalitha on the issue
of continuing in the Vajpayee government at the Centre.
India rattles sabre during Fu's visit
Defence Minister George Fernandes's recent statement that
Chinese troops had intruded into Arunachal
Pradesh was a deliberate move to draw Beijing's attention on its
assistance to the secessionist movements in
the North-East, defence ministry officials said on Saturday.
VHP secretary admits that work on Ram temple has begun
Vishwa Hindu Parishad central secretary
B L Sharma 'Prem' has told a television channel that construction
work on the Ram temple in Ayodhya had already begun.
In an interview to Zee TV, to be telecast on Monday, the former
member of Parliament was categorical that work had started on
the temple. ''...The pillars and stones have started arriving at the site'',
he said. The stones were coming from Rajasthan, and work was going on
day and night, he added.
Foreign secretary in Washington to carry forward 'strategic dialogue'
Foreign Secretary K Raghunath had a
day-long high-level discussions with senior US officials in Washington
on Friday in pursuance of the ''strategic dialogue'' which began
between the two countries last year, with a view to ''enhancing and
deepening'' their bilateral relations.
Court throws out charges against CBI joint director
The judges concludes that charges that the official overstepped his brief when he called on the army to execute a non-bailable warrant against Laloo Yadav were motivated.
US takes note of Pak assistance to Kashmiri terrorists
The Clinton administration has taken note
of the ''continued credible reports'' of official Pakistani support
for Kashmiri militant groups that engage in terrorism'' in the state
of Jammu and Kashmir. The US state department, in its annual report, 'Patterns of Global Terrorism -- 1997', which was released in Washington on Thursday,
specifically named Harkat-ul-Ansar, an Islamic militant group
based in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan, which, it said, indulged in violent
activities primarily in the Indian state.
Rights commission ends Wandhama inquiry, but fails to fix blame
Vinod Kumar Bhat, the lone survivor of the incident, was not made available to the Jammu and Kashmir Human Rights Commission. "We were told by the government that he is in safe custody," JKSHRC chairman Justice
(retired) G A Kuchay wrote in his report, "Had we met the boy, we would have
been able to know the killers."
North Eastern Council seeks more powers from Centre
The North Eastern Council has sought
more powers and finances at its disposal to accelerate development
work in the region. In the 41st meeting of the council, held at Chumukedima in
Nagaland and represented by all the seven states of the region, it was
pointed out that the number of projects undertaken by the NEC at
present were not adequate.
Over 100 Indian plants patented, warns expert
He calls for a pluralistic IPR regime that respects indigenous knowledge.
THE REDIFF INTERVIEW
'Yes, there are some people who have been wanting
to send me off to Delhi right from the beginning'
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, facing the worst challenge to his job since Jagdambika Pal, talks tough.
THE REDIFF SPECIALS
Despite death and tragedy, the fire of freedom burns on
Unfortunately, plebiscite is a word that New Delhi is not too fond of, as it has instant connotations with Kashmir. So is India keeping silent on Tibet in return for a Chinese quid pro quo on Kashmir? Not one minister or official has visited the fasting Tibetans or inquired into their cause.
Amidst the chaos, Sahaj Muniji ends his year-long tapasya
Subsisting on boiled water twice or thrice a day, three hours of sleep
daily, many hours of meditation, a few in showering blessings,
the 64-year-old Jain ascetic began his penance on May 1, 1997, amidst much fanfare for world
peace and universal brotherhood.
Stand up and be counted gay!
"Only when your homosexuality becomes a passionate identity can a gay movement become a success in this country," says novelist and poet Raj Rao. "India," says the writer, "is saddled with its civilisation. We have to reject the whole package of culture and politics if we are to get our rights and freedom."
TODAY'S COLUMNS
Silence of the Lambs
'The CBI's highly informative affidavit explains Sonia Gandhi's
curious silence', says T V R Shenoy. 'Reports to the contrary, there are no formal
charges against Hegde and Jethmalani. When it comes to the Congress
president, however, there is a 30-page affidavit filed in the Delhi high court!'
Wholly Mother, they called you the Father!
Of course, it's not true. It's just a rumour spread
by people who are maliciously jealous of Amma, our Wholly Mother in
Madras -- imagine the cheek to call her the Father
of Fixers! Capital Buzz, political gossip from the Delhi Durbar.
Punjab: Special police officers have little to look forward to
Nagaland: Swaraj Kaushal to hold talks with NSCN (I-M)
Tamil Nadu: Nothing wrong with law and order, says Karunanidhi
Tamil Nadu: Das Kapital translated into Tamil
MAY 1
Home ministry to monitor growth of terrorism in South
Sources said the South Cell, patterned on the existing Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir cells, will formulate counter-insurgency strategies aimed at curbing fundamentalist and anti-national activity in the southern states, especially Tamil Nadu.
BJP avoids another Buta, persuades Sukh Ram to quit
Former Union minister Sukh Ram, whose prosecution by the Central Bureau of Investigation for his alleged role in the telecom scam was sanctioned by the President, has agreed to step down from the Himachal Pradesh
government, according to Bharatiya Janata Party spokesman K L Sharma.
BJP sources said it was possible that Sukh Ram might have been persuaded to resign, by offering a ministerial
berth in exchange to his son Anil Sharma at the Centre.
Vazhapadi Ramamurthy threatens agitation if TN government is not sacked
The Union petroleum minister on Thursday threatened to
launch an agitation if the Centre failed to dismiss the Karunanidhi
government in Tamil Nadu. Without setting any timeframe, he said the Centre should
sack the DMK regime invoking Article 356 of the Constitution or by any
other means.
No question of resignation, Hegde tells PM
Commerce Minister Ramakrishna Hegde is
understood to have told Prime Minister A B Vajpayee that there was no
question of his conceding the All India Anna DMK's demand of resigning from
the Cabinet, since no charges are pending against him in any court.
Where is Mohammad Ansari?
The Al-Umma official should be the most wanted man in Tamil Nadu, why then is the state
government mum about his whereabouts?
For Maldivian Rasheeda, the ISRO espionage case nightmare is finally over
The Kerala government on Thursday ordered the release of Mariam Rasheeda, a Maldivian national
detained under the National Security Act, from the Viyyur central
jail. The order was issued in view of Wednesday's Supreme Court
judgment in the ISRO espionage case.
Non-bailable warrants issued in Goa scam, Prabhu let off
The Panaji judicial magistrate on Wednesday issued non-bailable warrants
against five directors belonging to Western India Financial Services
Ltd. A notable absentee from the list is Union Environment Minister Suresh Prabhu, who is also
allegedly involved in the Rs 12 million financial scam.
Narayanan seeks US's 'direct support' for Security Council seat
The President has sought the
''direct support'' of the United States for India's efforts to secure a
permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.
Democratic Congressman Frank Pallone, who met the President along
with two other members during the latter's stop-over in New York on
Tuesday, gave this information in a speech in the US House of
Representatives.
The Konkan dream finally comes true!
Prime Minister Vajpayee will dedicate
the 760-kilometre long Konkan Railway, India's biggest
rail project of this century, to
the nation at Maharashtra's Ratnagiri on Friday.
PoK prime minister under fire from own men
The People's Party government in Pakistan occupied
Kashmir is under tremendous pressure to
quit, despite the two-thirds majority it
obtained during Benazir Bhutto's prime
ministership.
TODAY'S COLUMNS
Selective leaks
'Caste card, minority card, creed card, celebrity card, race
card... what's the difference? The overview of justice is
befuddled when human beings project themselves as belonging to a
special group needing separate standards of evaluation and
concessions,' says Varsha Bhosle.
The Great Malabar Novel
'With this tour de force of a book, a sweeping family saga reaching back
centuries, O V Vijayan reinforces his claim to being one of India's foremost novelists. It
is a remarkable, if flawed, masterpiece, and a compelling read that is so engaging that it
is almost unputdownable,' says Rajeev Srinivasan.
Tamil Nadu: Moopanar's Delhi trip arouses speculation
•
Teenaged girl beaten up on suspicion of spreading AIDS
The sixteen-year-old girl was attacked by villagers near Madras
following rumours that she was spreading the disease by injecting
contaminated blood.
TODAY'S WEATHER
Heatwave in Haryana, JK and Kerala
Day temperatures were appreciably above normal
in Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala and parts of
Rajasthan, Telangana and Tamil Nadu.
APRIL 30
Swamy declares war on BJP!
He will now try to topple the Vajpayee government after he gets clearance from Jayalalitha. The Janata Party president says he will form a secular front soon. He has already had talks with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and CPI-M general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet towards this end.
AIADMK allies miffed with Jaya
Barring the Janata Party and the Thamizhaga Rajiv Congress, each with one Lok Sabha member, major partners of the AIADMK have been maintaining a stoic silence over Jayalalitha's ongoing tussles with Prime Minister A B Vajpayee
Jaya's fresh salvo: Ministers sticking on despite PM's say-so
Jayalalitha on Wednesday alleged that some ministers were still continuing in the Union council of ministers despite being compelled by Prime Minister A B Vajpayee
to resign.
Tibetan protester succumbs to burns; hunger strike continues
Thupten Ngodup's death in the early hours of Wednesday, caused by the severe burns suffered by him during a self-immolation bid on Monday, has made the Tibetans gathered near Jantar Mantar determined to carry on the protest which began as an
indefinite fast 51 days ago.
SC finds ISRO case farce, orders Rs
100,000 compensation to each accused
The Supreme Court exonerated the
six accused, including scientists S Nambi Naraynan and Sashi
Kumar, in the Indian Space Research Organisation espionage
case.
PIL filed against appointments of standing counsel in TN
A Madras-based advocate on Wednesday filed a public
interest writ petition in the Madras high court seeking to declare as
arbitrary, illegal and null and void, the appointment of 33 lawyers
owing allegiance to the All India Anna DMK as central government standing
counsels.
Congressmen feel let down by old faces in new CWC
Congress president Sonia Gandhi's apparent inability to
use the carte blanche given to her by partymen at the recent
All India Congress Committee session, has come in for sharp criticism from some Congress
leaders, who are upset at the "cosmetic
changes effected by her in the Congress Working Committee.
Al-Umma leader Basha's bail cancelled
A designated court has cancelled the bail
granted to S A Basha, founder-leader of the banned Al-Umma, and his associate Abdul Raheem in the case
relating to the blast at the RSS
headquarters in Madras.
Development of Kashmir is not possible
without normalcy: Fernandes
"There is no investment here. Those who are supporting the
militants do not want
development in the state," the defence minister
said, addressing soldiers
at the Sainik Sammelan in Srinagar.
Pune archaeologists hope the Saraswati will unlock mysteries of the past
In the past, archaeologists had not made any systematic efforts towards
identifying the actual cultural sequence of the Saraswati in the
past because of which the identity of the people who
inhabited its banks has remained a subject of controversy. Now, they intend to resolve this
intriguing question once and for all by undertaking a project aimed
at identifying the actual cultural sequence of the ancient
river which finds frequent mention in the Rig
Veda.
Labour party in pain over MP's Benazir connections
Maverick politician George Galloway, is accused of netting up to 300,000 pounds
in return for supporting Bhutto's causes in Britain while she held office. It is believed that the payout came out of Pakistan's state coffers and were
illegally channelled to a publishing company he co-founded, called Asian
Voice.
Vaghela wants law barring riparian states going to court
Former Gujarat chief minister Shankarsinh Vaghela
has urged Parliament to pass a statute prohibiting parties
that are sharing
water resources to move courts individually in a bid to stallprojects.
Sons of Church sacrifice Christian values on the altar of power struggle
The introduction of a new cross and the revised
parish committee rules in Kerala
churches has set warring factions on collision course
once again.
NHRC committee to streamline medical check-ups for prisoners
The move is to curb the rising number of custodial
deaths. Very often the cause is complications
arising from tubercular infection as the disease is
diagnosed only at a critical stage.
TODAY'S COLUMNS
We Want To Read That Report Now!
'If Justice Srikrishna had absolved Sarpotdar, Thackeray and Naik of any guilt for the riots, you know the report would have been out and available for you to read within minutes of its submission,' says Dilip D'Souza. 'Instead, you have before you the Maharashtra government's wriggly, ugly attempts to explain why it is preventing you from reading the report.'
When does it become improper for a minister to hold office?
'Though I have no doubt that Advani and Dr Joshi were not involved in the Babri Masjid demolition, matters of principle cannot be decided on the basis of individual belief,' says Vir Sanghvi. 'Moreover, there is no shortage of people who will claim that a man who destroys a place of worship
and causes riots is morally no better than a man who takes a bribe.'
Assam: All-party meet to discuss peace moves
Madhya Pradesh: 13 killed, 37 injured in bus accident
APRIL 29
Sagarika missile may not be a myth after all
After the successful launch of the medium range ballistic missile,
Prithvi, the government sanctioned almost Rs 500 million for the naval
version. "But our missile programme is totally indigenous," adds a
defence ministry official.
US unconvinced about India's denial over Sagarika missile
''We know India is working on a missile called
Sagarika and we understand this is a long-term project which is
still in its early stages of development,'' a state department
official said on Monday, commenting on a report to this
effect in The New York Times.
Chinese military activity near Andamans worries India
In 1993, about 70 Chinese naval and technical personnel
arrived at the Coco Island to install new radar equipment. This
would enable Chinese military personnel to monitor Indian
naval communications in the area, especially India's testing
of ballistic missiles off its eastern coast.
President okays prosecution of Sukh Ram, Sheila Kaul and Thungon
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday received presidential sanction
to prosecute former Union ministers Sukh Ram, Sheila Kaul and P K
Thungon for alleged criminal conspiracy and misuse of official
position.
BJP drops TDP and HVC from coordination panel meeting
In a surprise move, the Bharatiya Janata
Party has dropped its post-poll allies, the Telugu Desam Party and the Himachal Vikas
Congress, from the list of invitees to the May 9 meeting of the coordination
committee.
'I will not surrender'
In an anti-climax, elusive poacher and sandalwood smuggler Veerappan has declared that he would never
surrender to the authorities, and would hunt with the same vigour
for another 25 years.
Muslim personal law board warns against imposing common law
Muslim personal law was an integral part of faith and
religion, Muslims were bound to live in conformity with the
Sharia, and any attempt to abrogate, alter or change the personal
law was bound to create tension in society, president of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board Ali Mian said on Tuesday.
And the Tibetan strike goes on...
Eighteen hours after police forcibly broke a fast unto death by six Tibetans in New Delhi, a batch of five hunger strikers replaced them. Meanwhile, 60-year-old Thupten Ngodup, who attempted self immolation Monday, continued in critical condition at the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital.
Nagpur tense but peaceful following desecration of Ambedkar's statue
The situation in the Dalit-dominated localities
in south Nagpur was tense but peaceful in the wake of the
desecration of a statue of Dr B R Ambedkar at Trisharan Chowk in
Bhimnagar. The police have intensified patrolling and were keeping a close
watch on the situation, Police Commissioner P K B Chakraborty said.
Ceasefire with NSCN extended by three months
The Government of India and the National
Socialist Council of Nagaland (I-M) have mutually decided to
announce further extension of the current ceasefire for a period of
three months with effect from May 1.
North Eastern Council to meet on Thursday
The 41st meeting of the North Eastern Council
would be held at Dimapur in Nagaland on Thursday, to discuss
the Centre's help and financial assistance to solve the problems of
the backward region.
UN report warns acute water shortage will drown India by 2017
A UNICEF document says the per capita availability of water would decline to
1,600 cubic metres -- a level defined by the UN as significantly
''water-stressed.'' Women would have to walk upto
five kilometres to fetch water.
AP house adopts electricity reforms bill sans opposition
The Andhra Pradesh assembly on Tuesday adopted,
in the absence of the entire Opposition, the controversial
electricity reforms bill which seeks to restructure the state
electricity board.
Entire Opposition suspended for a day in AP
In an unprecedented move, the entire
Opposition in the Andhra Pradesh assembly was on Tuesday suspended
for obstructing the proceedings of the house over
the controversial electricity reforms bill, amid uproarious
scenes.
Prasada says abolition of Congress veep post was not unexpected
Jitendra Prasada on Monday said Congress president Sonia Gandhi's decision
to abolish the post of party
vice-president was not unexpected, and that it did not come as shock to
him.
TODAY'S COLUMNS
The Power of Villainy
'This is what institutionalises crime. Legitimises it. This is what
attracts the worst among us to politics. The fact that they get their one shining moment of glory when they enter politics,' says Pritish Nandy. 'Arun Gawli leapt from page 5 to page 1 the moment he entered politics. So did Raja Bhaiya in UP. Rabri Devi went from her kitchen into the national headlines. Phoolan Devi, from her cell in Tihar jail.'
Sweet Tidings
'Ellu kozhukattai can be used to smoothen relations between Tamil Nadu Hindus and Muslims. How nice it would be if the Hindu Munnai leaders popped delicious ellu kozhukattais into the mouths of Muslims leaders. The result may be a bit messy, but I am sure, the spirit of this gesture will be appreciated. There will be no more communal tension in the state.' The V Gangadhar column.
Assam:
3 killed, 9 injured in ethnic violence
Bihar: 12 killed as express jumps tracks
Jammu & Kashmir:
Pak infiltrators among 10 killed in valley
APRIL 28
Sonia shakes up CWC, dumps veep's post
In a much-awaited step, Congress president Sonia Gandhi
on Monday reconstituted the party's working committee and
appointed new office-bearers. Though all the elected members of the Congress Working
Committee have been retained, the post of vice-president,
hitherto held by Jitendra Prasada, has been abolished, as has the post of joint secretary.
Vajpayee rules out seeking fresh mandate
The prime minister on Monday ruled out the possibility of the Bharatiya Janata Party-
led government at the Centre seeking a fresh mandate in view
of the pressures and demands being exerted by the All India Anna DMK.
Addressing a press conference at Raja Sansi airport near Amritsar,
he said there was no need for a fresh election as advocated by Union Commerce Minister Ramakrishna Hegde. ''We
have the people's mandate and a majority in the Lok Sabha,'' he
added.
Share threat and security perceptions with the people, says Fernandes
Addressing the air force commanders conference in New Delhi on Monday, the defence
minister emphasised the need for enlisting people's support and
co-operation so that the challenges before the country could be met
squarely. ''The country's defence requirements will be better addressed
when not merely the armed forces, but the people at large are also
apprised of the issues involved,'' he observed.
Chinese army chief calls for early demarcation of LAC
It is important for both India and China to
carry out ''gradual and early'' demarcation of the Line of
Actual Control, visiting chief of staff of the People's
Liberation Army, General Fu Quanyou said on Monday.
Six Tibetans replace arrested hunger strikers
The New Delhi police swooped down on the fasting Tibetan activists early on Monday morning and forcibly hospitalised
the last three strikers on the 49th day of
their fast unto death. They were striking to free their homeland
from Chinese occupation.
Investors charge Environment Minister Suresh Prabhu with financial foul play
Gopalrao Mayekar, a former MP, along with eight other investors, has
charged the Shiv Sena's chartered accountant-banker-turned politician with
cheating around 80 investors from Goa, who invested their savings in the Bombay-based Western Indian Financial Services Ltd, a company Prabhu allegedly floated.
Reviewers won't maul Ambedkar's Constitution, promises Advani
The home minister clarified
that the Commission for Constitutional Review would not tinker
with the essential ingredients of the
present Constitution.
Ex-envoy Jha raises a storm with statement on merger of Lanka's Tamil provinces
The national joint committee of Sinhala Nationalist Organisations has
''vehemently condemned'' the remarks by the former high
commissioner to Colombo and convenor of the BJP's foreign affairs
committee, N N Jha, that acceptance of the Tamil demand for merger of Sri Lanka's
northern and eastern provinces may help resolve the island nation's
ethnic conflict.
Patnaik offers to quit PCC and CWC posts
Orissa Chief Minister J B Patnaik on Sunday
offered to quit both as Pradesh Congress Committee president as well as
CWC member. Patnaik made this offer after two separate meetings with
Sonia Gandhi on Saturday and Sunday.
Seven-member PDF withdraws support to Mahanta, no danger to ministry
Newly elected president of the Progressive Democratic Front, Garla Batha Basumatary, alleged that
the AGP-led four-party alliance government had failed to honour the
commitments made to the PDF in lieu of its support. The government had
failed to solve the problems of the state, particularly those
related to the Bodos, he said.
Memories of a bloody April night...
Twelve-year-old Sudesh, a victim of the Prankot carnage, isn't sure whether she is lucky
or not. She is yet to decide which is worse:
Escaping death at the hands of militants, or being forced
to live with memories of her entire family being massacred
right in front of her eyes.
India softening world opinion before pulling N-bombs out of basement, charges Pak
At the weekly Pakistani foreign ministry briefing on Saturday, spokesman Altaf
Tariq told reporters that India was conducting a ''gradual''
campaign to soften international opinion before admitting to the
world that it has nuclear weapons.
NHRC recommends measures to prevent starvation deaths
In view of the rising numbers of starvation deaths reported from various states, the National Human Rights
Commission has recommended a number of measures, including
emergency feeding programmes, old age and disability pensions and
other social security and employment generation programmes, to be
taken by the Union and state governments to prevent such deaths.
21 massacred in Pak-occupied Kashmir
Unidentified gunmen slaughtered two families in
Bindala Samahani,
some 275 kilometres southeast of Muzzafarabad.
Tigers blow up ferry, scuttle army manoeuvre
Security officials said the Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eelam rebels below up the ferry at Muttur, south of the
strategic port town of Trincomalee, at 4 am on Monday, less than two hours
after the security forces had launched an operation against them.
Sikh leader in Canada appeals for calm after racists kill a member
At the first gathering after five young skinheads
were charged
with beating the caretaker of the Guru Nanak temple in Surrey to death,
president Balwant Singh Gill asked his congregation not
to seek retribution.
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