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SEPTEMBER 27
THE BIHAR CRISIS
Cabinet drops move to sack Rabri Devi
Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani, who convened the meeting on the instructions of the prime minister, said the Cabinet felt the situation in Bihar still warranted imposition of President's rule. But it was also felt that since the President had asked the government to reconsider its recommendation, "we must respect his wishes".
Rabri, opposition jubilant at Cabinet's retreat
Wisdom has finally prevailed on the government, the chief minister said. But BJP-Samata Party leaders in Bihar said a new strategy to get rid of her would be worked out after the prime minister's return.
BJP bosses adamant on Rabri's ouster
It is a good thing the President has returned to the Cabinet its recommendation to sack the Bihar government, said party chief Kushabhau Thakre, because he should think twice before approving the use of Article 356.
Laloo's Front dares BJP to dismiss Rabri
If the BJP government has any sense of shame, it should resign forthwith, National Democratic Front spokesman Amar Singh said.
Don't stand on false prestige, Maran tells BJP
Former Lok Sabha speaker Rabi Ray said Governor S S Bhandari should resign because he no longer enjoys the President's confidence.
Sonia's stop breaks the monotony of protests
A technical snag grounded the Congress president's aircraft and ensured that she stayed put in Patna for a few hours, causing much speculation.
THE CTBT QUESTION
US sets tough conditions for lifting sanctions
Adherence to nuclear norms and settlement of problems with Pakistan are among Washington's demands.
Senators appeal for flexible sanction laws
The group led by Frank Pallone has called upon a key congressional panel to support a measure authorising President Bill Clinton to waive the sanctions imposed on India after its nuclear tests.
Big 5 abstain from voting on IAEA resolution
Forty-four countries voted for the resolution and two against while 43 abstained.
India won't start arms race, promises PM
Vajpayee assured United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan of India's commitment to normalise relations with Pakistan.
Pakistan looking forward to talks with India
Pakistan looks forward to ''a sustained dialogue and real progress'' with India when their senior officials resume a suspended dialogue next month, its foreign ministry spokesman said in Islamabad.
OTHER REPORTS
4 states go to the polls on November 25
Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi and Mizoram will be held on November 25. Though the formal notification will be issued on October 30, the model code of conduct comes into effect today.
SC throws out Laloo's plea in fodder case
The Supreme Court has dismissed petitions filed by former Bihar chief ministers Laloo Prasad Yadav and Dr Jagannath Mishra and seven others, challenging the non-bailable warrants issued against them by a Patna special court. The judges, however, extended the stay on their arrests till October 28.
Civilian killed in Kargil as Pak resumes firing
A civilian was killed and three others injured in heavy artillery and mortar shelling by Pakistani troops in the Poonch and Kargil sectors.
CBI rapped for shabby probe in Kesri case
The Delhi High Court has criticised the CBI for sloppy work in the case against former Congress president Sitaram Kesri, charged with amassing wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income and bribing his way into the Rajya Sabha.
Mid-term polls after December, says Jaya
In a five-page letter, the AIADMK leader has asked cadres to be ready to face the people after the party organisational elections, scheduled to be held from October 24 to December 28.
The Lost Township
Morning dawns on Kargil only to accentuate the fear that evening will bring more death and destruction. This border town, once famous for its apricots, has become the most dangerous place in Kashmir. It is probably the only township where people live in bunkers. Mukhtar Ahmad reports.
MEA unable to produce Murdoch in court
The Delhi court had issued summons to Murdoch and others on a complaint that the various television channels of the STAR TV network are telecasting obscene programmes.
Decision on Ugandan's deportation put off
The Government of Uganda is still to inform the court whether it will allow high commission officials to stand surety for the AIDS-afflicted woman.
Pak groups oppose pardon for Rushdie
"The Iranian brand of Islam has been exposed, Sheikh Hakim," chief of the Sunni Muslim militant Sipah-e-Sahaba, or Guardians of the Friends of the Prophet, said.
BBC plan to interview accused in racist attack raises hackles
Five white youths who were recently acquitted of the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence in 1993 in south London are to air their side of the story to Martin Bashir in a bid to redeem their public image.
THE REDIFF SPECIALS
Assessing the Millennium
'The sense of a loss of Indian pureness in the early years of this millennium seems to have some hold in political discussions in contemporary India. How sound is this way of seeing what happened in the last millennium?' asks Amartya Sen, the world-renowned economist.
'Our menfolk laughed at us, they heckled us'
The 600-odd families in the backward Kalva village in AP went without adequate drinking water. Their children were forced, often by parents, to migrate to the cities to earn a living. Then Fatima Bi took over as sarpanch. Meet the winner of this year's UNDP award for her 'race against poverty'.
THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS
Jaya ticks again!
'The Jayalalitha bomb is ticking still! And it is not merely due to the BJP-Samata Party combine's efforts to impose Central rule in Bihar'. Capital Buzz. Political gossip from the Delhi Durbar.
Oh Parties!
'I can remember parties in Bombay which involved milling throngs of vaguely familiar people shuffling about in the smoke-filled darkness, deafened by raucous music, balancing plates of foods and drink while groping or being groped. It seems so much easier for me to avoid going to parties altogether that I am surprised that I continue to be invited. I look forward to the day when it will be possible to attend parties electronically,' says Manjula Padmanabhan.
TODAY'S WEATHER
Wet spell in parts of South India
Heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, coastal Andhra Pradesh,
Rayalaseema, coastal Karnataka and Kerala during the next 48 hours.
SEPTEMBER 26
THE BIHAR CRISIS
President refuses to dismiss Rabri
Rashtrapati Bhavan sources said Narayanan felt Governor S S Bhandari had "acted in a partisan manner" Secondly, he felt it was "imprudent" to axe the Bihar government after it had won a vote of confidence in the state assembly by a clear majority.
Jubilant Laloo demands governor's head
At 1, Anne Road, all the ministers of the Bihar Cabinet and even the nine children of Chief Minister Rabri Devi were distributing sweets to one another and crowding round the television set for details of the President's decision.
National protest day passes off peacefully
The protests planned by almost the entire Opposition against the recommendation to sack Rabri Devi evoked partial response overall, though the parties claimed it was a success.
Thakre uses fodder scam to justify action
The BJP chief said all major political parties were against the Rashtriya Janata Dal continuing in power, but had changed their stance for political reasons.
Paswan willing to support alternative govt
The Janata Dal leader would not say if his party would support an alternative that included the BJP-Samata Party combine. But he did not rule out the possibility of aligning with them in the next election. "Laloo and Mulayam are the two enemies at the state level and the BJP at the Centre," he said.
Jaya's charge 'concocted', says Fernandes
The defence minister said the situation in Tamil Nadu was different from that in Bihar. While the TN governor has not sent any report to the Centre recommending invocation of Article 356, the Bihar governor had sent a "damning indictment" of the Rabri Devi government.
Theatre of the absurd unfolds
All told, it is a battle royale. Or -- judging by some incidents -- a non-stop performance in the theatre of the politically absurd. Thus, Laloo Yadav staged an impromptu padayatra through the streets of Patna. And the wives of Rabri Devi's ministers took out their own procession -- armed with brooms.
TDP too opposes President's rule
The Telugu Desam Party stayed away from the meeting of the BJP's allies called by Home Minister L K Advani to convince them of the government's compulsions in recommending President's rule. Party leader Yerran Naidu said the TDP has always been opposed to the use of Article 356, and it could not change its stance now.
THE CTBT QUESTION
P-5 urge India, Pakistan to move closer
In a repetition of their joint communique of June 4, the Big Five expressed continued concern at the danger posed by the nuclear tests to peace and security in the subcontinent.
US welcomes India, Pak moves to sign CTBT
Talking to newsmen in New York, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said both countries had taken some positive steps to end the nuclear arms race in the region, "but there is a long way to go" before sanctions can be lifted.
Koreans deny passing nuke secrets to Pak
North Korea has denied reports that it was supplying missile technology to Pakistan and said this was misinformation spread by countries with vested interests.
OTHER REPORTS
Women's panel to probe rape of nuns
Expressing shock and outrage at the heinous incident, the National Commission for Women deplored the fact that women's safety and security are accorded the lowest priority. Some 213 NCW recommendations, several pertaining to rape, are languishing with the Madhya Pradesh government.
MP governor takes CM to task
Joining issue with Digvijay Singh for his comment that the governor should look at the law and order in BJP-ruled states before reaching a conclusion on the situation in Madhya Pradesh, Bhai Mahavir said he had no information about other states, but the state of affairs in Madhya Pradesh is not good.
Bandh-hit Kashmir sees 4 killings
Two Border Security Force personnel were killed, and another injured, when militants detonated a powerful improvised explosive device near a bank at Pattan in Baramulla this morning.
Lashkar-e-Toiba militant killed in Jammu
A top leader of the Afghan militant outfit, who doubled as an ISI agent, was killed in an encounter at Surankot. In Delhi, meanwhile, the police nabbed three Pakistan-trained militants, including the Uttar Pradesh chief of Harkat-ul-Ansar.
Congress to get tough on indiscipline
General secretary R K Dhawan said the ethics code will be applied to Congressmen who voice
dissent against the leadership. He said indiscipline by anyone will not be tolerated, and that there is a consensus for ''absolute unity'' in the party.
Fresh warrant for Taslima's arrest
Bangladesh has revived its four-year-old order for the arrest of controversial author Taslima Nasreen who faces a death threat from Muslim fundamentalists for blasphemy.
THE REDIFF INTERVIEW
'India still does not have sufficient data from its nuclear tests'
'With all due respect to Abdul Kalam, he is not a nuclear scientist. He is a missile man, a rocket scientist. There is a great difference between a rocket scientist and a nuclear one. And, I have talked to various senior scientists in the nuclear establishments and not of one them has said that we possess sufficient data to carry out full-fledged laboratory or simulated tests. They all would like further tests to garner more data before signing any treaty.' -- Dr Bharat Karnad, a hawk where India's security needs are concerned.
THE REDIFF SPECIAL
Smaller states: 'Where will it all lead to?'
"On what basis are you creating new states?" asks one critic of the government's plan, and adds the question on most lips, "If you agree to separate states for tribal
and hill zones, what about all the other such groups in India?"
THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS
The smell of crookedness
'A government that attempts to muzzle the judiciary is not likely to be seen as able to provide what the people seek. For a party that has carefully cultivated the appearance of propriety to resort to such gimmicks is plain stupid,' says Ashwin Mahesh.
Turn back the clock
'Take any aspect of the good, old days. English offspinner Jim Laker, as he took one Australian wicket after another in his memorable 19-wicket haul during a Test match in the 1956 Ashes series, just rolled up his sleeves after every over and went on bowling. And after the match was over, left the ground within half an hour for a country match!' reminisces V Gangadhar.
Karnataka: Mysore palace acquisition still held up
Maharashtra: HC seeks affidavit from government in suit against Navratri mandals
Punjab: Mann faction to greet Sonia with rallies
Rajasthan: BJP's OBC cell demands more tickets
Tamil Nadu: SC drives Karunanidhi fete indoors
Tripura: Six killed in militant attack
Uttar Pradesh: Television serial did killer in
TODAY'S WEATHER
Wet weather continues in the Andamans
Rain or thundershowers are likely to occur at many places in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Tamil Nadu in the next 48 hours.
SEPTEMBER 25
THE PM'S VISIT
Vajpayee makes conditional offer on signing CTBT
India on Thursday offered to sign the treaty subject to the success of its ongoing discussions with the US on vital security concerns. Speaking in Hindi, the prime minister said, "We are prepared to bring these discussions to a successful conclusion, so that the entry into force of the CTBT is not delayed beyond September 1999."
Exclusive clause in CTBT holding India back
Though the statements of Defence Minister George Fernandes and his scientific adviser A P J Abdul Kalam on signing the treaty earlier this week appeared to be contradictory, officials say the differences are more a matter of perception than any real conflict.
Pakistan agrees to sign CTBT
Speaking at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief , however, linked the decision to lifting of US economic sanctions imposed on his country after its nuclear tests in May this year.
India, Pak to "open new chapter" in relations
Foreign secretaries to resume talks. Re-establishment of economic and cultural links on the anvil.
''Durable peace of supreme interest'
The text of the joint statement issued by the Indian and Pakistani prime ministers after their meeting in New York.
Sharief calls for world aid to resolve Kashmir
Soon after his talks with the Indian prime minister, Sharief urges implementation of Security Council resolutions on Kashmir, and reasserts that his country suffered more after it followed India down the nuclear path for security reasons.
THE BIHAR CRISIS
President continues his deliberations
K R Narayanan has almost completed consultations with legal, constitutional and other experts on the
Union cabinet's recommendation to dismiss the Rabri Devi government, even as various political parties are bracing themselves for a countrywide protest on Friday.
Jaya again demands Karunanidhi's head
The AIADMK leader alleged that by recommending Rabri Devi's dismissal while keeping the Bihar assembly in suspended animation, the BJP is trying to engineer defections from the RJD and the Samajwadi Party to put together a majority in the Lok Sabha.
Sonia ends silence, opposes Rabri's ouster
Among the chorus of dissenting voices raised against clamping Article 356 on Bihar, Samajwadi Party's Mulayam Singh Yadav warned that the BJP-led coalition's move was setting a bad precedent and hereafter it would be difficult for any state government that did not have a stake at the Centre to survive.
Second JD team asks President to sack Rabri
The party has also dissociated itself from the decision of some opposition parties to observe Friday as all-India protest day, saying it had not been consulted on this step.
Rabri affair gets Paswan into trouble
Whatever the President's decision, the former railway minister has been mauled politically. His colleagues like I K Gujral have, however, gained mileage by supporting the Bihar government.
More problems for the BJP
"Sacking a state government is serious business. The prime minister should have shown the decency to convene the coalition's co-ordination committee to arrive at a consensus," Trinamul Congress general secretary Sudip Bandhopadhya said.
PMK snubs Jaya, backs Rabri's dismissal
Though PMK founder-leader S Ramadoss has also demanded dismissal of the Tamil Nadu government, he has extended unconditional support to the Union cabinet's decision to impose President's rule in Bihar.
Sack Rabri soon, JMM urges President
According to Suraj Mandal, the people of Jharkhand are eagerly awaiting the presidential approval to celebrate it as a mahaparva.
Confident of victory, Laloo takes to the streets
Promises campaign to expose RSS, BJP leadership and expresses confidence that even if the Bihar government is dismissed, Parliament will be divided on the issue.
Legal eagles say President right not to hurry dismissal of Bihar govt
No decision can be taken over the telephone with the PM in New York and there is no time frame to take a decision.
Opposition demands President's rule in Tripura
The Congress, Tripura Upajati Juba Samity and Tripura National Volunteers have demanded that Article 356 be invoked immediately and the state be brought under the Disturbed Areas Act.
Sack J B Patnaik government, says BJD
The Biju Janata Dal on Thursday announced its intention to meet Prime Minister A B Vajpayee and Home
Minister L K Advani to demand the dismissal of the J B Patnaik
government in Orissa.
OTHER REPORTS
Magisterial probe ordered into rape of nuns
Announcing a reward of Rs 50,000 to anyone giving information
which could lead to the arrest of culprits, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Harvansh Singh said a village-to-village search was being carried out to arrest the accused.
Balayogi advocates proportional representation
The Lok Sabha speaker has recommended a system of proportional representation to ensure that people vote for parties instead of candidates, to avoid the ''serious inadequacy'' of the existing vote-seat distortion.
Pakistani charged in blast case
A trial court on Wednesday framed charges against Pakistani national Abdul Mateen, another accused Abdul Hamid of Firozabad, Rais Beg of Agra and Chandra Prakash of Roopwas in Bharatpur district in connection with the bomb blast just before the Republic Day function at Jaipur's S M S Stadium on January 26, 1996.
ED, CBDT get show-cause notices
The Delhi High Court has issued show-cause notices to Enforcement Directorate chief M K Bezbaruah, the chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes and Delhi Police Commissioner V N Singh on a petition filed by the owners of Zee TV seeking time-bound completion of the investigation into alleged financial irregularities.
Emigration to Japan, NZ, Australia simplified
The labour ministry has exempted citizens going to Japan, New Zealand and Australia from requirements of
emigration check.
Joginder Singh to attend RSS rally
The controversial former director of the Central Bureau of Investigation will be the chief guest at the annual Vijayadashami rally of the Sangh in Nagpur.
Delhi HC seeks surety from Ugandan embassy for deporting AIDS victim
The question of the high commission's surety for Dorothy, a Ugandan citizen who is being tried under the NDPS Act and is suffering from AIDS, came after home ministry counsel Maninder Singh said the revenue department, which deals with cases under the act, may object to the move to drop prosecution as it would set a bad precedent.
ARDE develops safe ejector system for LCA
After nearly 40 trials, Martin Baker AIC Co, London, arguably the top organisation in the world to certify
Pilot-ejection systems, has certified commercial production of the canopy severance system. The system is so advanced that it requires just milliseconds to eject the pilot to safety in case of a crash.
Indians welcome new security system in NY schools
The New York City police will, by December 31, take over the security arrangements in all public schools. "If we had a lot of money our children wouldn't be going to public schools," said Raju Thomas, a part-time accountant and father of two boys. "This measure should have been passed a long, long time ago."
China regrets Indian N-tests
Tests were undertaken against the "tide of times'' and affected adversely peace and stability in south Asia, says Beijing.
THE REDIFF INTERVIEW
'Given the Indo-Pak interests in Kashmir, there is no military solution'
'I believe soon there will be START 3 and 4. I am not naively suggesting a completely disarmed world yet, but it is a world with far less arms. What is more, the arms will lessen as the present crop of nuclear weapons grows obsolete and there seems to be little money to buy more. So over the next generation or two, we may end up not with a completely non-nuclear world, but with a much less nuclear world.' Richard N Haass, director of the Washington-based Brookings Institute and an expert on disarmament, in an interview.
THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS
Being uncivil to civil servants
'Ram Jethmalani has landed himself comprehensively in the soup. He is the first minister in the history of Independent India to have been publicly rebuked, reprimanded and repudiated by none other than the prime minister,' says Mani Shankar Aiyar.
The Congress Starr
'A K Antony, the ethics committee chairman, may find himself alone, as the Congress does not have many leaders who are above board. But it would be a good beginning if Antony pursues his mission with zeal and grit. Perhaps, the party could attract a sizeable chunk of the silent, suffering, miserable Indians who have been looking for a messiah,' says V C Bhaskaran.
Tamil Nadu: Bandh in village to protest against statue desecration
Tamil Nadu: Jayalalitha re-elected AIADMK general secretary for another term
TODAY'S WEATHER
Rain in Andamans
Heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, coastal Karnataka and Kerala during the next 48 hours.
SEPTEMBER 24
THE BIHAR CRISIS
President continues his legal deliberations
Since legal opinion holds that imposing President's rule in a state is exercising "an emergency power," whether the Bihar
situation warrants such a drastic step is the moot point that Narayanan is said to be contemplating.
VHP activist killed in strike violence
The man was shot dead in Bhagalpur when he protested against RJD supporters damaging a puja pandal. Prabhas Chandra Tiwari, MP, alleged that former parliamentarian Chunchun Prasad was leading the armed gang which killed the activist.
Assembly demands governor's recall
Members of the BJP, Janata Dal, and the JMM factions stormed into the well of the house shouting slogans against the speaker and the state government. In retaliation, RJD members also rushed to the well shouting slogans. Unable to restore order, the speaker adjourned the Bihar assembly.
Hegde changes tack, backs Rabri's dismissal
The Union commerce minister argued that in the cabinet system of governance, it is the majority view that gets carried and the minority has to abide by it
Situation tense, but under control in Laloo's home
After the cabinet ministers had come and gone,
Rabri Devi's residence wore a deserted look. The only sign
of activity within the grounds was the sight of the
chief minister's sons playing cricket.
Jaya demands Article 356 for TN, but rules out withdrawal of support
Asked whether she thought she should have been consulted before
recommending President's rule in Bihar, the AIADMK leader said her
party believed it should have been consulted on many important
decisions.
Mulayam, Gujral ask President to reject cabinet decision
The Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha and the Janata Dal on Wednesday led two separate delegations to President K R Narayanan, and urged him not to abide by the Union cabinet's recommendation imposing central rule in Bihar.
Paswan breaks ranks, supports Centre's move
The state unit of the Janata Dal has demanded the expulsion of Inder Gujral, Jaipal Reddy, S R Bommai, and Surendra Mohan for opposing Rabri Devi's dismissal. Ram Vilas Paswan said these leaders were not to be taken seriously as they were unaware of the reality in Bihar.
Opposition plans national protest on Friday
A delegation of the Left parties met President K R Narayanan and told him that the Centre's decision would not get past Parliament since the BJP-led coalition is in a minority in the upper house.
No public sympathy for BJP in Bihar, thanks to insistence on Vananchal
A day after the Bharatiya Janata Party government managed to recommend central rule in Bihar, public sentiment in the state has not veered in the party's favour. If anything, there is a sullenness over its keenness to carve out a new state from the cash-rich South Bihar region.
Presiding officers of 4 states boycott conference
Lok Sabha Speaker G M C Balayogi, who was chairing the conference, did not allow them to raise the issue of the Union government's move to impose President's rule in Bihar, leading to the walkout.
OTHER REPORTS
Maharashtra government remits Hazare's jail sentence
Social crusader Anna Hazare, who is serving a
three-month sentence in a defamation case filed by social welfare
minister Babanrao Gholap at Yerwada prison in Pune was
released on Wednesday following a order by the state government.
Army casualties mount in August, thanks to Pak shelling
Pakistani shelling in Jammu & Kashmir and use of better weapons by militants are to blame, says adjutant-general.
J&K governor calls for all-out bid to defeat Pak designs
Though the situation in the Valley is much better today, there is no scope for complacency, warns Gary Saxena
UP house excludes Hardwar from proposed state
The Uttar Pradesh assembly on Wednesday passed a
resolution seeking amendments in the UP Reorganisation Bill, 1998,
sent to it by President K R Narayanan with regard to the creation
of the hill state of Uttaranchal.
SC to hear Srikrishna petition on October 7
The Supreme Court has fixed October 7 as the
date for hearing a writ petition praying for directions to the Maharashtra government to accept the recommendations of the
Srikrishna Commission report.
Fernandes rules out differences with Abdul Kalam over signing CTBT
The defence minister, when asked to comment on Bharat Ratna A
P J Abdul Kalam's statement that no further nuclear tests were
necessary and subscribing to the CTBT would not create difficulties
for India's nuclear status, clarified
that there was no contradiction whatsoever between them.
"He (Dr Kalam) spoke for the scientists and reassured them that
they need not worry, but the CTBT is not just the data, a whole
lot of issues are there which are being discussed just now,'' the
defence minister said.
Discontent in DRDO
Officials at the Defence Research and Development Organisation want the cabinet to raise their retirement age by two years. Like it did for all other Central government employees
earlier this year.
Jaswant holds 5th round of talks with Talbott
According to Indian embassy sources, the talks covered
disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation issues among other things.
Experts on the issue will hold one more meeting before the official
level of Indo-US talks to be held in New Delhi in November 1998.
The Jaswant-Talbott talks also centred around possible dates for
President Bill Clinton's visit to India. Both sides agreed that
it should take place in a ''positive atmosphere'' and both sides
will take steps to ensure that, the sources said.
How many nuke bombs can India make?
India is capable of producing 455 atomic bombs while Pakistan can build 105, the Jane's Intelligence Review has reported. The earlier estimate was a conservative 65 and 25, respectively.
ISRO receives cryogenic engine from Russia
ISRO said the cryogenic stage formed the third stage of the GSLV
and the unit received on Wednesday was the first of the seven units being
supplied by Russia. The remaining units would be delivered at the
rate of one every six months. With this,
the GSLV launch has been planned for the third
quarter of 1999.
Sharief asks Annan for UN intervention in Kashmir
A statement issued by the office of the UN spokesman did not
indicate how Annan responded to the Pakistani prime minister's
plea, but diplomatic observers said the UN chief was aware of
India's position rejecting any outside intervention in what was
purely a bilateral issue.
Sangma bemoans continuing nexus between criminals and politicians
Striking a hopeful note, however, the former speaker said India was still not a hopeless case, and if people were involved
in a big way in the nation-building process, the maladies of
criminalisation of politics and growing poverty could be checked
effectively.
Govt did not mislead SC in Bezbaruah case: Sorabjee
The attorney general, in a report to Prime Minister Vajpayee, said the mistakes the Union government made in its affidavit were "genuine" and "unintentional."
Insurance payment not deductible from compensation, rules SC
The Life Insurance Corporation of India's payment on an insured person's death in a motor accident is not deductible from the compensation awarded to his dependants under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939.
India faces sharp spurt in number of aged people
The figure is expected to cross the 70 million mark by 2000, says UN-sponsored study
Indian immigrant in NY accused of turning house into brothel
According to district attorney Richard Brown, Bhupendra Shah not only illegally converted a three-family house into 10 dwelling
units, he allowed most of them to operate as a brothel. Worse still, he forced
his teenage daughter to live where the prostitution was going on, Brown said,
quoting police reports that led to Shah's arrest last week.
Lankan army kills two civilians in Jaffna
Dharmalingam Sithadthan, leader of the People's Liberation Organisation
of Tamil Eelam, said the killings followed an exchange of fire between members of his group and a group of soldiers.
Top Duma leader calls for Indo-Russian disarmament pact
A Russian parliamentarian said India and Russia should sign a "joint declaration on disarmament" to overcome differences on the NPT and the CTBT
THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS
Let's Hear From Those Uninhabited Villages
'I returned to Manibeli in June, 1993. This time, there was a huge expanse of water that had submerged everything, even the banyan tree, even such notions as openness and transparency in government actions. There was something irretrievably sad about the sterile panorama before us. It is hard for anyone to take more than a cursory look at the Sardar Sarovar Project and not see the huge gap between claims and reality,' says Dilip D'Souza.
Saffron spreads South
'Patna may have the headlines today. Jayalalitha's tantrums might send reporters scurrying down to Madras again tomorrow. But the real story is the grassroots revolution being wrought by the BJP in South India, something that could change the very face of politics decisively in the years to come,' says T V R Shenoy.
Andhra Pradesh: Naxalites blow up Gandhi statue
Delhi: Court tells builder to deposit Rs 35 million
Uttar Pradesh: CM's would-be assassin killed
TODAY'S WEATHER
Konkan, Goa in for more rain
Heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places in Konkan, Goa, coastal Karnataka and Kerala during the next 48 hours.
SEPTEMBER 23
THE BIHAR CRISIS
Cabinet okays Rabri Devi's dismissal
Ending weeks of suspense, the Union Cabinet recommended that the Bihar government be dismissed and the state assembly be kept in suspended animation. Home Minister L K Advani said the President has informed the prime minister that he will take a decision after consulting constitutional experts.
President in no hurry to act
According to senior Congress leader Sharad Pawar, who led a five-member delegation to Rashtrapati Bhavan in a bid to persuade Narayanan not to impose President's rule in Bihar, the latter said he was not in a hurry to take a decision.
Advani's pitch sealed Rabri's fate
The home minister put his foot down against sceptics in the Union Cabinet, explaining the situation and
arguing that it was high time President's rule was imposed. Advani elaborated how the state has slipped into a serious economic and law-and-order crisis, and also submitted statistics about political violence and frequent caste clashes and murders to corroborate the government's claim.
Southern allies oppose Centre's decision
While the AIADMK has said it will not support the decision
to dismiss Rabri Devi's government unless Tamil Nadu Chief
Minister M Karunanidhi is also ousted, Ramakrishna Hegde in
Karnataka and Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra Pradesh have
opposed the move as a matter of principle.
Laloo, Mulayam bristle with anger
The National Democratic Front leaders announced that their MPs
would march to Rashtrapati Bhavan to protest against the
recommendation and demand "judicious action" from the President.
Operation Bihar could forge opposition unity
"There is no logic in removing the Rabri Devi government because the governor's report is
politically motivated," CWC member Madhavrao Scindia told Rediff On The NeT.
"Why should the Vajpayee government restrict President's rule to Bihar when the situation in BJP-ruled states like UP, Maharashtra and Delhi is equally bad?"
OTHER REPORTS
French tourist shot in Srinagar
Seriously wounded, Mark Peter is at the Bone and Joint Hospital, Barzalla. This is the first attack on a foreigner in recent times.
UP wants Hardwar, but not Udham Singh Nagar
The Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, 1998, was tabled in the state assembly and Chief Minister Kalyan Singh moved a resolution seeking 26 amendments. According to one, Lucknow will retain all the rights relating to power generation. Another says the new state will be named Uttaranchal
Supreme Court stays CVC ordinance
The court said it was primarily concerned with two aspects of the ordinance -- the single directive and exclusion of the word 'others', and inclusion of some others not envisaged in its earlier judgment in the composition of the CVC. Attorney-General Soli Sorabjee assured the court it would not be presented with a fait accompli.
No sign of plague in Surat, says NICD
The samples of rodents sent to the institute at Bangalore have all tested negative.
EC seeks 'adequate' central forces
Chief Election Commissioner M S Gill said the EC's main concern is to ensure free and fair polling, not to worry about the number of days it would take to achieve this.
Fernandes wants special anti-insurgency force
"The army should not be exposed to the public too often," the defence minister said. "This only leads to disorientation of the jawans who are trained to fight only the enemy."
WWF to inquire into Kaziranga calamity
The World Wide Fund for Nature proposes to send a fact-finding team to Assam's Kaziranga National Park, where floods killed hundreds of wild animals.
Bangla fanatics hound Nasreen into hiding
Furious fundamentalists in Bangladesh are hounding controversial writer Taslima Nasreen, who, despite the fatwa against her for blasphemy, slipped incognito into the country last week.
New UK terrorist law may blow up LTTE base
The changes in the law, introduced in a special session of parliament after the Omagh massacre, could be a major blow to the Tigers, as London is the group's nucleus outside Sri Lanka. It could hit their military operations, funds and bank transfers for weapons, which have all been traced to London.
THE REDIFF INTERVIEW
'If they feel I am a misfit, let them remove me'
"I don't say I am the best, but I am definitely not the worst. I don't agree at all with their allegations that I have lowered the dignity of the speaker's post. I am also not prepared to step down just because they are demanding it." Goan Speaker Tomazinho Cardoz defends his controversial actions in an interview with Sandesh Prabhudesai.
THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS
The Bihar Boomerang
'The Bihar gambit will serve as the catalyst to bring together all the opposition parties that have so far shown little evidence of coalescence against the Vajpayee government. What has been keeping them apart so far was the absence of an adhesive factor, and the Central government will have handed them one on a plate,' says Saisuresh Sivawamy.
Wanted: A Visionary
'What it requires is vision. What Bombay needs is a person committed to the city's future. As, say, Andre Malraux was to Paris and Edward Koch to New York. Someone hell-bent on proving that Bombay can be set right. What we need is not a pompous bully but someone interested in doing real things to change the lives of real people,' says Pritish Nandy.
Uttar Pradesh: CM's would-be assassin killed
TODAY'S WEATHER
Wet spell over Rajasthan
Heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places in East Rajasthan and West Madhya Pradesh during the next 48 hours.
SEPTEMBER 22
Rabri may just win a breather
BJP managers feel it is better to postpone the decision to dismiss the Bihar government because of the political fire that is raging on the vexed Vananchal issue. The prime minister and his party colleagues also fear that axing Rabri Devi will encourage their belligerent coalition partner, the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, to renew its demand for M Karunanidhi's ouster in Tamil Nadu.
Karunanidhi changes his tune on Congress
After setting off speculation with his statement over the weekend that the DMK was not averse to supporting the Congress if it tried to form the government, the Tamil Nadu chief minister today said the question did not arise as the Congress had not approached him for support.
Sikhs refuse red carpet for Sonia at Amritsar
Congress president Sonia Gandhi is welcome to the Golden Temple as a devotee, but the Sikh clergy won't present her with a siropa (robe of honour), Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh has said.
IMF set to resume lending to Pakistan
The green signal is awaited from New York where Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief is expected to promise President Bill Clinton at their meeting today that Pakistan is ready to sign the CTBT.
Crucial Jaswant-Talbott talks tomorrow
The meeting ahead of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's address to the General Assembly was supposed to have taken place today, but has been put off because US state department officials are busy with Nawaz Sharief in New York.
Sharief to take up Kashmir with Vajpayee
The Pakistani premier has said his talks in New York with his Indian counterpart will focus on outstanding disputes between the countries, particularly Kashmir.
Talks with India, Pak fail to raise US spirits
The Americans appear to be unhappy with the progress of their three-month-old high-level dialogues with the two countries on the nuclear issue, raising doubts about President Clinton's proposed visit to South Asia in November.
Give up on Ayodhya, RSS tells Muslims
If the disputed sites at Ayodhya, Kashi and Mathura are handed over to Hindus, both communities can work with all their might for the development of the nation, argues Professor Rajendra Singh.
Delhi HC issues show-cause notice to CBI
On a petition that seeks to quash the charges framed against former Union telecommunications minister Sukh Ram for allegedly extending a Rs 16.8 million benefit to a private firm.
Vananchal will make Biharis self-reliant: BJP
Participating in the debate in the state assembly on the Bihar Reorganisation Bill, 1998, Leader of the Opposition Sushil Kumar Modi maintained that his party was in favour of sustained growth in south and north-central Bihar, and had urged the Centre to formulate an economic package to facilitate Vananchal.
Rane replaced as Goa CLP leader
The replacement is seen as an indication that the Congress has lost hope of regaining power by engineering defections within the Goa Rajiv Congress, the faction that split the party on July 27 to form a coalition government headed by Dr Wilfred de Souza.
Bardhan re-elected CPI general secretary
Besides Bardhan, the new national executive has Indrajit Gupta, Chaturanan Mishra, P K Vasudevan Nair, Gita Mukherjee, V V Raghavan, Veliyam Bhargavan, R Nallakannu, Sudhakar Reddy, Atul Anjan and Bhogendra Jha.
THE REDIFF INTERVIEW
'If peaceful means don't get us solutions, we'll resort to violence'
The Jharkhand People's Party general secretary Mukesh Baba asserts the prime minister has made a deal with Laloo Yadav to deny his group their promised state.
THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS
How to go down in history...
'The one character in this sordid tale I'd still root for is the hapless Kenneth Starr. Hey, if I'd been called a liar and right-wing conspirator at the opening of a legitimate
investigation, I'd have gone all the way, too... Frankly, America should be extolling his guts and a system that actually works.' Varsha Bhosle returns!
THE REDIFF SPECIALS
'My mother was alive when she was buried'
'Half a dozen domestic workers and others have now been lined up by the police as accomplices in this crime. Did Shakereh wake up and find herself buried alive? Or did she die in her sleep, drugged by a fatal dose? Her body was too decomposed to find out.' As the Shakereh Khaleeli case goes to trial in Bangalore, M D Riti recollects the gruesome incident.
The salwar-kameez makes a splash
Auntyjis and young girls alike have been spotted doggy-paddling and doing the breaststroke in their silk salwar-kameez at swimming pools in Luton, south-east England, following a council ruling which aims to take into account the cultural and religious sensitivities of Asians.
Andhra Pradesh: Naxals kill 3 suspected informers
Delhi: Congress plans no-trust move
Karnataka: Mysore palace row resolved
Tamil Nadu: DMK hints at supporting Congress govt
Tamil Nadu: Jaya demands TN minister's head
Tamil Nadu: HC reserves orders on Jaya's petition
Uttar Pradesh: Tohra's warning on Uttaranchal
TODAY'S WEATHER
Rain in parts of Orissa, Maharashtra
Heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places in Orissa, central Maharashtra, Marathwada, Vidarbha, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and north interior Karnataka during the next 48 hours.
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