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OCTOBER 25
Dissidents challenge Patel to a trial of strength
In a signed memorandum submitted to the chief minister, 46 legislators said he had lost the support of the majority in the JDLP.
Son set Deve Gowda ablaze
Dal sources say Basavaraja Rayareddy's appointment as Karnataka's representative in Delhi must have been the trigger. Deve Gowda's third son Kumaraswamy was lobbying for the post.
Bhandari asks Centre to issue directive under Article 355 to Bihar government
The governor said the President, while not disputing the facts mentioned in his report, had only asked why the state government had not been told to improve its performance.
BJP pulls out the regional card in Delhi
The election committee meeting convened by Kushabhau Thakre resolved to entrust key party functionaries with the responsibility of wooing the linguistic minorities, especially in Delhi.
Court asks Centre to redeem Netaji's name
According to a former MP's petition, Bose is still listed as a war criminal by the British government.
Congress, BSP reach 'accord' on MP poll
"We will not fight with the Congress to defeat the BJP, but we will adopt a strategy which will serve the purpose of improving its strength and preventing the growth of communal forces," Mayawati said.
RLM accuses BJP of engineering rise in prices to help traders
"They [the BJP leaders] are very good at raising slogans and giving speeches, but do not know how to
rule," said Shankersinh Vaghela at the rally to launch the front's campaign for four assemblies.
Ordinance bans defections in Kerala local bodies
Critics say the law will lead to greater politicisation of local self-government. Moreover, some of its provisions are legally untenable.
HC sets aside appointment of top cop
The Bangalore High Court set aside the appointment of T Srinivasulu as Karnataka's DG-IGP and passed strictures against the move.
ITBP unhappy with delayed retirement
The "other ranks" prefer some financial incentive for working at high altitudes.
Hunting is game in Orissa
The rich and powerful in the state hunt with utter disregard for the law, since they know how to circumvent it.
Meteoroid shower threatens satellites
The ISRO is planning ways to minimise damage to its satellites by meteoroids likely to enter the earth's atmosphere between November 14 and 20.
THE REDIFF INTERVIEW
'When does one call for President's rule if not now?'
'If people believe in the Constitution, they have got to respect what the Patna High Court has been saying all along. That is, under the RJD governments, the law-and-order machinery has totally broken down.' BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi continues his war-cry against the Bihar government.
THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS
It's been a dark Diwali
The last two years have been a grim reminder that neither inflation nor recession belongs to the dim past, says Mani Shankar Aiyar
Madhya Pradesh: BJP unable to decide on leader
Maharashtra: Commuters killed in bizarre mishap
Manipur: Nagas threaten economic blockade
OCTOBER 24
Gujral, allies did not oppose 'Saraswati vandana' when he was PM, says Joshi
While Thursday's session at the education ministers' conference witnessed much chaos, Friday's was a sedate affair, though the delegates from Bihar continued to stay away.
VHP demands vedic education to save India from Christian influence
Ashok Singhal described the objection of some education ministers to the 'Saraswati vandana' as the 'greatest insult to Hindus in their own country'.
Jaya goes hammer and tongs at Murli Manohar Joshi
Castigating the HRD ministry for trying to push through a sectarian agenda, she wondered whether Dr Joshi receives directives and inspiration from sources other than the prime minister.
Assembly polls will not be a referendum on my government, says PM
"In a coalition, there is always the need to take into account the views of all the partners. But the dharma of coalition politics is that partners raise only legitimate issues and not unreasonable ones. That creates political instability," Vajpayee said.
Deve Gowda's 'evil designs' see Patel scurrying for god's help
'The forces of evil seem to be gaining in strength every day,' the Karnataka chief minister quipped.
Patel says he will stay and fight
But Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge ridiculed his stand, saying the chief minister had lost majority support even in the JDLP.
Vajpayee, Sonia to launch high-voltage campaign for the capital
Both sides are going to have one focus in the election: the performance of the BJP government in the state over the last five years.
Army JCO killed in Kashmir blast
The officer was killed and a soldier injured when militants blew up their vehicle at Safa-Pora village in Baramulla district. A dozen soldiers escaped unhurt.
TN thinks of barring ex-civil servants from caste-based organisations
Chief Minister M Karunanidhi said a final decision is likely to be taken at the next all-party meeting scheduled for October 26.
Cable operator murdered in Vijayawada
This is the second such incident in the AP town involving the cable TV industry.
Tohra gets 25th consecutive term
As the SGPC annual general house decided to retain the office-bearers and executive committee members elected last November, Simranjit Singh Mann and four of his colleagues walked out.
Recovery of minor girl's corpse causes tension in Patna
After a gang-rape on Dassera day, the recovery of the body of a nine-year-old girl, also believed to be a rape victim, has triggered fresh outrage.
Lanka rules out talks with rebels
"There is no move on our part to start the process, no move whatsoever,'' Constitutional Affairs Minister Lakshman Peiris said in reaction to a Tamil Tiger spokesman who said the LTTE is not averse to resuming a dialogue with the government.
THE REDIFF INTERVIEW
'I have sacrificed the chief ministership because I am a loyal party worker. I am not remorseful. But seeing my supporters cry makes me also cry.'
'The Delhi state government has little powers, but I used to take the blame for everything that went wrong in the city. I could not raise my voice against our own central government when major tragedies like the dropsy deaths occurred.' Sahib Singh Verma speaks out in an exclusive interview.
THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS
The women's bastion
'The five women who could form a potential anti-BJP front at the next polls are Sonia Gandhi, Jayalalitha, Mayawati, Rabri Devi, and Lakshmi Parvathi. Just don't expect Sonia Gandhi to say so openly!' says T V R Shenoy.
Lord of the big bucks
'Raised on a diet of worship and praise that paints our gods in virtuous and compassionate light, we necessarily resist the thought that misfortune might be God's will for anyone,' says Ashwin Mahesh.
THE REDIFF SPECIAL
Doctor Justice
Chief Justice of India Adarsh Sein Anand, 'an extremely methodical man of scientific temperament', is known for his ability to resolve decisions with harmony and without controversy.
TODAY'S WEATHER
More rain predicted in West Bengal, Orissa
Rain or thundershowers occurred at many places in West Bengal, Sikkim and Orissa, and more of the same is expected.
OCTOBER 23
HRD minister forced to withdraw controversial RSS paper on education
The government was embarrassed further at the education ministers' conference when Punjab's Tota Singh, whose Shiromani Akali Dal is an ally of the BJP, joined the boycott of the 'Saraswati vandana'.
RSS seeking to indoctrinate children, say Joshi's critics
In an attempt to justify the demand for a Ram temple at Ayodhya, the UP government even added a new chapter to the standard VI history book titled 'Religious policies of Babar'.
Computers more important than Vedas, AP minister tells Centre
Minister for Higher Education Pratibha Bharathi also dismissed the proposal to introduce Sanskrit as a compulsory subject from standard III onwards.
TN unveils impressive plan for elementary education
Education Minister Anbazhagan also expressed strong reservations on some of the recommendations of a group of experts. In a pluralistic society, the inclusion of material highlighting one religion would lead to undesirable divisions, he pointed out.
Khurana sulks as BJP pacifies Verma
The parliamentary affairs minister did not even attend a meeting of Delhi MPs at the party HQ to chalk out a strategy for the assembly election in the state.
BJP gives up resolve to put party ahead of leaders
A formal announcement about the chief ministerial candidates for Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan will be made tomorrow, Delhi CM Sushma Swaraj said.
Swaraj admits Delhi is disillusioned with BJP
But she said most of the reasons for the disenchantment are outside the jurisdiction of the state government and hence not its fault.
TN backwards to unite against Dalit militancy
Their front, when it is formed, may demand withdrawal of the Protection of Civil Rights Act, Prevention of Atrocities to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act, and Bonded Labour Act.
Opposition blames Karunanidhi for caste clashes
A committee led by former Supreme Court judge S Mohan has suggested that erection of new statues of leaders be avoided and Dalits be made aware that people of other castes are not their enemies, to prevent the recurring caste clashes.
Salim Khan gets a day's reprieve
Judge J W Singh reserved his decision till Friday in the case of the scriptwriter who is accused of keeping endangered wildlife species in captivity.
Clinton unlikely to ease sanctions on India, Pakistan soon
US officials maintained that the power to lift sanctions is linked to the progress in the non-proliferation talks the administration has been having with the two countries.
Centre evaluating Bihar afresh, says Naidu
The BJP general secretary said his party was of the view that the people of Bihar should be saved from further catastrophe. But it was left to the Vajpayee government to follow the right methodology for this.
Report of Udham Singh Nagar panel to be delivered before time
The committee was not set up as a delaying tactic and its decision will be binding on Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, said Defence Minister George Fernandes.
770 kg of RDX, plastics found in J&K
A three-day combing operation has come up with a huge cache intended for targets in south Kashmir.
Stepping up of ISI activity in Kashmir feared
A high-level meeting convened by Home Minister Advani has envisaged some preventive measures.
Sukh Ram rules out crisis in HP
But he said consultation between the alliance partners was "very important" since the coalition was the first such experiment in the state.
Book reflects concern over rape of Gangotri
The gushing sewage from the septic tank at Uttarkashi, which is supposed to have been built to prevent the Ganga's contamination, has itself become a major polluter.
Rumtek remains in the eye of a storm
The six-year-old row over selection of the reincarnated head of Sikkim's famous monastery has become more complex with a Delhi court issuing a show-cause notice to the CBI on a complaint against the Dalai Lama and six others for "conspiring" to dismember Sikkim from India.
Prisoners thrash suspects in Indian woman's rape
The three suspects have been admitted to hospital. While one of the suspects has had his leg fractured, the other two have also sustained serious injuries.
Benazir indicted on corruption charges
The former prime minister has been indicted for illegal recruitment into Pakistan International Airlines.
Lankan army overruns rebel base
Police commandos destroyed a major Tamil rebel base in eastern Sri Lanka, killing at least 10 militants.
THE REDIFF INTERVIEW
'The time has come for the state government to take tough
decisions'
'I am willing to accept that the situation is fluid and confusing. I admit that the TMC is at a crossroads. On our future, we cannot take a decision now. We will have to wait and watch the atmosphere carefully. Nobody knows what will happen tomorrow, how long will this government continue.' G K Moopanar in his most expansive interview yet.
THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS
One of us...
'There comes a time when no matter how reasonable or correct or convenient an alternative may be, it is unthinkable because it goes against the totality of one's being. This is why Indian Muslims reject the Uniform Civil Code. And this is why I oppose the Nehruvian parody of secularism,' says Varsha Bhosle.
The Hypocrisy of Politics
'The moment I entered Parliament, I discovered that being phony was in fashion. The first example was my salary. In July 1998, my salary was a princely sum of Rs 1,500 and I was expected to hold no other office of profit. If you think I am joking, check it out,' says Pritish Nandy.
Karnataka: Bommai begins peace mission
Maharashtra: Gangster arrested for murder of apparel superstore's owner
TODAY'S WEATHER
Heavy rains forecast in West Bengal, Orissa
Rain or thundershowers are likely at many places in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Assam, Meghalaya, West Bengal, Sikkim, Orissa and east Madhya Pradesh, at a few places in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Bihar, coastal Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, and at isolated places in east Uttar Pradesh, Rayalaseema, Kerala and Lakshadweep.
OCTOBER 21
HRD minister's plan to 'Indianise' education runs into trouble
Five chief ministers have written to Prime Minister Vajpayee, pointing out that school curricula cannot and should not be changed according to the ideological leanings of the party in power.
Vajpayee berths Sahib in his Cabinet
But the former chief minister has sought time till after the Delhi assembly elections. "At present, our only objective is to ensure a magnificent victory for the BJP. This is my only resolve," he said.
Two judges resign from Bombay high court
The sudden resignations of Justices Y S Jahagirdar and A Y Sakhare have caused eyebrows to be raised because they have not stated why they are quitting the judiciary when they still have 18 years of service left.
India, Pak fail to make progress on Kashmir
But according to senior officials in the external affairs ministry, the very fact that the two countries have agreed to continue the dialogue is "welcome".
Restructured infantry ready for nukes
The Indian infantry has been reorganised into the new 4-B model and is now fully geared for conventional wars against a nuclear backdrop and low-intensity conflicts.
New bill to contain flesh trade
A draft bill to prevent immoral trafficking in women and children proposes imprisonment ranging from five to 14 years, and fines of up to Rs 200,000.
The gentleman who's not a full-time officer
You needn't be in the armed forces full time to uphold the nation's honour. You can pursue the profession of your choice -- and yet serve as an officer in the Territorial Army.
Clinton honours Indian martial arts exponent
The US president has picked Sanjay Chauhan, 23, of Gurgaon, for the Presidential Council on Physical Fitness.
Kerala isn't a peaceful state
The National Crime Records Bureau, Pune, ranks Kerala second in accidents, second in suicides, and third in crimes.
Eunuchs cry for justice
A petition has been filed in a Chandigarh court, demanding that The Representation of Peoples Act be amended to provide eunuchs a voice in both Parliament and the state assemblies.
Sikh pleads guilty to sexual assaults in Surrey
Fifty-five-year-old Beant Singh Sekhon, a former priest at the Khalsa Sikh school, remains free on bail pending a sentencing hearing on December 2.
Indian immigrants' murders awakens community to grim reality
The murders of Kanu Patel, 28, and his 35-year-old cousin Mukesh once again highlighted the dangers those who work during the night shifts face continually across America.
Lanka turns to the old, rebels rob cradles
to overcome shortage of men
Last month's fighting left the army ranks so depleted that the military has revived a campaign to round up some of the estimated 25,000 soldiers who have deserted their units in recent years.
The language of true friendship
Hannah Moxon and Hayley Park, both aged 15, have joined a thirty-strong Bengali language class at their City of Portsmouth Girls' School in London because they want to talk to their Bengali friends in their native tongue.
THE REDIFF INTERVIEW
'We have to wait and see what the others do
before we decide to sign the CTBT'
'We are a huge country, with different linguistic, religious and cultural backgrounds. Despite our difficulties, we have held together, and that too democratically, which is something few others can boast about. In that sense we are a great role model.' Former prime minister I K Gujral looks back on his brief tenure in the country's top office.
THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS
The alliance that is getting frayed
'The BJP is essentially uncomfortable with Chief Minister Manohar Joshi's style of functioning for the same reason that he was handpicked by Thackeray: his unquestioning loyalty. The BJP would like the CM to show a little more spine, a quality that is rare in a party dependent on its founder to bring in the votes,' writes Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
Will a Nobel for outrage make us feel it?
'In a time when I am sure Amartya Sen is being flooded with congratulatory messages from various Indian government poobahs, there's this news that represents the very indifference towards deprivation he so mourns... We are a nation that applauds the obscenity of nuclear bombs, but can find no outrage when women die for the lack of cheap tablets,' says Dilip D'Souza.
Andhra Pradesh: Three Naxalites killed, stolen weapons recovered
Delhi: 16,000 evacuated as Yamuna rises above danger mark
Karnataka: JD will die a natural death -- Jalappa
'Kiran Bedi speaking...'
Playing Kiran Bedi, former supercop, is a dangerous game. As Manjit Kaur, aka Bholi, found out.
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