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ELECTION 99
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September 29 Rains cool tempers over Cauvery The inflow of water into the Mettur reservoir has increased five-fold, following which the Tamil Nadu government has shelved its plan to close the dam's sluices. Bin Laden's jihad call brings India, US closer "By making that open declaration of jihad, bin Laden has done India a great favour,' gloat external affairs ministry officials. Lalitha Oraon case headed for a quiet burial The Indian lobby in Paris has been working hard at conveying to the French government that carrying out a witch-hunt in the case would only harm French business interests in India. 6 extremists, 3 security men among 12 killed in Kashmir Life in the valley was crippled following a bandh called by the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference to protest against the detention of its leaders. Four Assam Rifles jawans killed in ambush The ambush coincided with the election campaign of Defence Minister George Fernandes in the state for Samata Party candidate Kim Gangte. AP legislator held in murder case Ch Ratnakumari, Vijayawada (East) MLA, and three of her supporters were remanded to police custody in connection with the kidnapping and murder of a 50-year-old man. NMC, NCW to probe attack against nun A high-level, three-member team of the two commissions will leave for Bihar tomorrow, National Commission for Women member Syeda Hameed said today. Clinton may visit India before March A firm date and other fundamental decisions are not expected until after a new government takes office next month in New Delhi. US shows concern about Pak arrests The American position was conveyed in a 45-minute meeting between Madeleine Albright and Sartaj Aziz. The US side later described the meeting as 'frank', diplomatic code for tough and pointed. President fires top IPS officer K Narayan was dismissed on the recommendation of the Union Public Service Commission for his involvement in the murder of a lawyer. SC reserves judgment on Rajiv murder accused The Supreme Court has reserved its verdict on petitions seeking a review of its earlier judgment confirming the death sentence on four of the 26 accused in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. Move to stop auction of Mughal jewels Campaign for National Unity, a voluntary organisation, has protested against the auction of the jewels of emperors Akbar and Jehangir in London. THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS Sifting the national from the local 'The Lok Sabha polls have shattered those idealists who choose to look upon elections as "a festival of democracy",' says Arvind Lavakare. Hurriyat's frustration in Kashmir 'Do the Hurriyat leaders -- youthful leaders like Yasin Malik and Shabir Shah -- really believe that any meaningful dialogue between India and Pakistan or between them and New Delhi is possible in an atmosphere of violence,' asks Kuldip Nayar. September 28 Army to send more troops to Kashmir The decision follows a post-Kargil threat analysis, the increasing influx of mercenaries, and the suspected involvement of Osama bin Laden in the state. RR jawans rescue 3 boys in Kashmir The boys, Mohammed Poto (17), M A Wani (16 ) and Shoukat Ali (18) had been kidnapped by pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen militants about a week back and were being taken across the LoC for arms training. RDX, arms seized in Kashmir Rashtriya Rifles troops killed three militants and smashed six of their hideouts, besides recovering a huge cache of arms and ammunition including the deadly RDX, mortar bombs, rockets and grenades. Jaswant meeting Albright on UN sidelines The two foreign ministers are expected to discuss the threat from global terrorism, the signing of the CTBT, the Indo-Pak talks and the Kashmir dispute. JKLF weighs bid to cross LoC Chairman Amanullah Khan said the organisation would weigh Pakistan's request not to cross over as well as reports quoting Indian military sources as saying the Indian Army would put up warning signboards at the border. Patel cites health, poll to skip CRA meeting The move is seen in New Delhi as revenge on the BJP for its initial reluctance to admit Patel into the NDA and its keenness to have its own man as chief minister if the coalition returns to power in Karnataka. French aces to fly in Vayu Shakti 2000 For the first time Alpha Jet Trainers will perform in Indian skies and the French aircraft-maker Dassault hopes to use the occasion to make a strong case for its trainers. 41 killed in Bengal floods Indian Air Force helicopters air-dropped food packets as more than five million people were affected by heavy rains. 43 kg explosives seized in Narasaraopet The police also arrested two persons at Vinukonda in the Narasaraopet Lok Sabha constituency where elections were postponed to October 3 following a bomb blast in the residence-cum-clinic of Andhra Pradesh Panchayat Raj Minister Kodela Sivaprasada Rao. EU reacts positively to Jaswant's overtures External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh will visit Brussels to meet new EC Commissioner Chris Patten, who will direct the commission's external relations. THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS To the power of one 'The nuke, the cleansing of ICHR of pinkos, the shutting down of eight public-sector undertakings, the repeal of the urban land ceiling law, the dismantling of the administered pricing regime in petroleum... you see the manthan in just 13 months? In the face of a Congress-inclined bureaucracy...? But IGNCA was a personal attack: It hit at the power of one. Vajpayee had to go,' says Varsha Bhosle. The truth about the Sonia show 'Her managers and the interviewer had agreed on a list of questions. Even the order of questions was pre-arranged. Yet most of Sonia's replies had to be recorded many times over because she got a word wrong or needed to consult the script.' Capital Buzz. Gossip from the Delhi durbar. September 26 Vajpayee calls urgent meeting of Cauvery Authority The prime minister is to cut short his election campaign to chair the meeting, to be attended by the chief ministers of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Pondicherry. Pope's meetings may be telecast live Even as Doordarshan drags its feet, private TV channels are clamouring for telecast rights. Leading the charge are STAR TV and Jain TV, the latter, interestingly, owned by a BJP bigwig. UN may slap sanctions on terrorist Taliban Highly placed sources in the external affairs ministry said Russia intends to move a resolution in the Security Council against the Afghan regime. The resolution will be supported by the US. Surat's additional commissioner transferred The situation in the diamond-and-silk city in south Gujarat, where seven persons died and many others were injured in police firing during the Ganesh immersion procession, was peaceful. IAF keen on acquiring Mirage 2000-5 fighters Air Chief Marshal A Y Tipnis, who is in France on an official visit, is expected to fly a Mirage 2000-5 next week. But sources at the IAF Headquarters said no negotiation would take place during the chief's visit. Four foreigners among 7 militants killed in J&K Terrorists entered a house in Village Sumlar Bandipora and fired upon the inmates indiscriminately, resulting in injuries to two women. Three students killed as water tank collapses The two injured have been taken to Baingu village bordering Rajasthan for treatment. S D Sharma hospitalised Doctors at the Escorts Heart Research Institute in New Delhi, where the former president is being treated, said his condition is stable. Sharief may end Musharraf's tenure Speculation is rife that the Pakistani PM is looking for a general who can be made a full-time chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. US does not apprehend coup in Pakistan "We had no indication that there was any kind of extra-constitutional intention on the part of anybody and in this connection we never referred to the army," Ambassador William Milam said. THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS A new high in Indo-Nepal relations 'The political transition in both countries augurs well for political stability and the resolution of outstanding issues, despite each side having its famous grouse,' says Major General Ashok K Mehta. September 25 6 killed, 37 hurt in violence during Ganesh immersion The 12-day festival, which had passed off peacefully in different parts of the country, was marred on the final day when violence broke out in Surat, Gujarat, and Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. 1 killed, 12 injured in attack on Srinagar cinema hall Regal Theatre, a landmark in the heart of the Kashmir capital, had only reopened in the morning after 11 long years when it was closed because of the extremist threat. Probe ordered into nun's disrobing in Bihar According to the FIR, the nun belonging to the Chapra-based St Joseph's Convent was abducted and stripped by two miscreants who also forced her to drink their urine. Maid's case casts shadow on IAF chief's visit India has reportedly told France that the atmosphere is hardly conducive to business negotiations, especially of such a sensitive nature as defence purchases. India wants global meet of nuke powers "I don't believe strategic restraint should be limited to South Asia. The reality is different," said External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh. Pakistan tells militants not to cross LoC The JKLF said thousands of its unarmed followers would cross over into India's side of the Himalayan region on October 4 to draw attention to its cause. Pak army chief refuses to quit "We enjoy excellent relations with the government," Gen Pervez Musharraf said. "I'll complete my term, Inshallah (god willing)," he said. Osama bin Laden in PoK Though the precise reason for the terrorist's visit is not known, intelligence sources said he chaired a meeting of Islamic militants in Karachi where details of the fundamentalist operations in Russia were discussed. We are ready for ISI's challenge: Punjab DGP Sarabjit Singh said the police would soon launch a special drive against anti-social elements and opium and poppy-husk smugglers who have become active in the state of late. THE REDIFF CHAT 'The Congress has been able to give very little assistance to candidates' The Professor B K Chandrashekhar chat. THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS Election Khichadi III 'Clad in khadi, Vishnu Bhagwat campaigned for his old friend Suresh Pachauri, the Congress candidate from Bhopal. Pachauri used to be minister of state for defence production in the Narasimha Rao regime. You know, the guys who decide on arms and things...?' Varsha Bhosle's musings. September 24 Pak, India cross nuke swords at UN Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz delivered a tirade against India's 'escalating repression' in Kashmir and accused New Delhi of planning to deploy a huge arsenal of land, air and sea-based nuclear weapons against Pakistan. Kashmir is an integral part of India, asserts Jaswant Addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Vajpayee's behalf, he said, "The path of the India-Pakistan composite dialogue process is open. No pre-conditions attend to it." J&K minister, Congressman escape bid on life Six foreign militants and a Congress activist were among 11 persons killed in the valley in the last 24 hours. 12 militants killed in Kashmir This takes the total number of militants killed in the post-Kargil period to 229. Don't associate terrorism with Islam: seer The shankaracharya of Prayag Pithadhishwar said that if an individual like Osama bin Laden takes to terrorism, it is the responsibility of heads of state to unite and eliminate such terrorism. Pallone praises US restraint on Kashmir The Democratic congressman also called for the removal of a provision in a bill naming India as one of a handful of nations that need congressional approval before foreign aid is allocated. Karnataka promises to abide by CRA's advice Chief Minister J H Patel said his government is not averse to releasing water to save the kuruvai crop in Tamil Nadu if it rains in the coming days. Opposition targets DMK on Cauvery The AIADMK charged that it was DMK leader M Karunanidhi's overpowering desire to please Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee that had led him to take a passive position on the dispute. RSS plans anti-Christian campaign to coincide with Pope's visit A rath yatra will begin in Goa and hit New Delhi by November 4 passing through Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. BSF foils Bangladeshi intrusion bid A senior BSF officer said the matter was sorted out after a border meeting between officials of the two countries. There was no tension along the border, he added. Pak govt, army deny coup threat The information and broadcasting minister, without directly referring to the US statement warning the opposition and the army against a coup to oust Nawaz Sharief, said, "There is no threat to the government." Pak military heads meet after US warning A statement issued after the meeting said the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee discussed defence, national security, and other professional interests. KCF extremist nabbed in Punjab Satnam Singh indulged in illegal activities such as extorting money from people by sending letters on the KCF pad, Punjab DGP Sarabjit Singh said. THE REDIFF CHAT 'Change is life. And we believe in evolution' A chat with Ananth Kumar, civil aviation minister and the BJP MP in the fray from Bangalore South THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS Bofors' ghosts 'So far there is not a shred of evidence to link Rajiv Gandhi to Bofors. Though Arun Singh is a part of this government, nobody is asking him questions. Likewise, there are questions to be asked of Arun Nehru. Instead, the BJP has given him a ticket,' says Vir Sanghvi. Respect, but only on paper 'Is it too far-fetched to see a connection between Giranwalla's bag of paper and a sense of some worth, even some humanity? Called criminal from the day he was born, at least his papers testify that he is really like every other Indian,' says Dilip D'Souza. September 23 'Prevent JKLF from crossing LoC' The separatist Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, headquartered in Pakistan, has declared that on October 4, its cadres and supporters will cross the Line of Control from Pakistani Kashmir into Indian Kashmir. Troops kill nine foreign militants in Rajouri Troops also recovered a large quantity of arms and ammunition from the encounter site besides six rucksacks full of fresh meat, butter, glucose, chocolates, medicine and dry fruits. Army says Pak maybe occupying Indian posts 'When we begin to take up positions very close to the LoC and look in detail at the demarcation on the ground, we find some posts under Pakistani occupation that were originally on our side,' said a senior army official. Russia promises help to fight Taliban threat The issue is currently under discussion at the Security Council, of which both Britain and Russia, are permanent members, and were expected to press for a joint action against the terrorist threat from Afghanistan. World Court confirms Pak move against India Quoting the application, filed yesterday, the International Court of Justice said Pakistan had asked it to declare that India bore exclusive legal responsibility for the attack. ISI chief on a clandestine visit to US Gen Ziauddin, who came here close on the heels of the visit last week of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, younger brother of Prime Minister Sharif, had discussions with some senior US officials of the Clinton administration. France offers latest Mirage version to India France has offered to sell the latest Mirage 2000-5 fighter aircraft to India. The French firm Aerospatiale is also pushing to sell the Advanced Jet Trainer Alpha jets to the Indian Air Force IAF has one of highest accident rates Lack of advanced training equipment, poor technical upgradation of the fighter fleet and bureaucratic delays are the reasons cited by experts. Court refers Janata Dal back to EC A division bench comprising Justice B P Singh and Justice I P Singhclarified that they would not go into the case and were only concerned with free and fair elections. Six die in Bangalore fire Police said the victims were sleeping in a room where highly inflammable articles like turpentine and paints were stored. Church goes after Goa Congress The future of the Congress in Goa appears dismal if the antagonistic approach taken by the all-powerful Church towards the ruling party's Catholic leaders, including Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro, is any indication. TN will send team to urge PM on Cauvery As chairman of the Cauvery River Authority the prime minister was bound to act and ensure that Karnataka release water for Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister Karunanidhi told newsmen in Madras Medha Patkar arrested The environment crusader and 275 other Narmada Bachao Andolan activists were arrested for protesting against the submergence of villages due to the Sardar Sarovar project. Taiwan quake toll nears 2000 More than 24 hours after the tremor struck, tens of thousands of terrified residents around the island camped outdoors early on Wednesday -- either afraid to go indoors or homeless. Calcutta HC strikes down Maharashtra Govt's order on Bangladeshi nationals Justice Samaresh Banerjee dismissed the order on a petition filed by the West Bengal Government THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS Doing Your Own Thing We need to encourage more self employed professionals however humble their skills may be. We do not need, we do not want India to be a nation of frustrated peons, clerks, typists, stenographers and telephone operators,' says Pritish Nandy. The gold medal in Uttar Pradesh 'Winning UP is crucial to any party entertaining hopes of ruling India. With the Bahujan Samaj Party inching upward, it is tough to see any role for the Congress except as a supporting actor,' says T V R Shenoy. September 22 PM's intervention fails to resolve Cauvery dispute The state governments of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have taken divergent stands on the release of water, the extent of shortfall, and when the shortfall is to be made good. France institutes probe into maid case While the external affairs ministry is not saying it, many officials are upset at being denied access to Oraon and treated as guilty even before the verdict is out. Even Indian journalists have not been allowed to meet her though the French media has. India bars visit of UN official to study torture Special rapporteur Nigel Rodley, who is empowered to investigate and report on questions relating to torture anywhere in the world, was allowed by the government to come to India only on a private visit. Swollen Narmada swallows parts of Hoshangabad The turbulent Narmada, swollen by a heavy downpour and the continuous release of water from the Bargi and Tawa dams, has swallowed several villages and almost a third of Hoshangabad town, rendering thousands homeless. Cartridges stolen from Tripura police camp The theft was detected in Batola on Sep 19 when jawans of the camp returned from a night patrol. Two ammunition-loaded trunks kept in the camp were missing and one of the windows had been broken open. Rs 124,000 ex-gratia for Dwarka crash victims In an affidavit supported by documents, the defence ministry told a division bench comprising Justice Arun Kumar and Justice D K Jain that it had sanctioned Rs 50,000 to the family of Jyothin Bai and Rs 74,000 for the next of kin of the children killed in the mishap, Krishna and Aklat. US worried about turmoil in Pakistan The United States warned political and military actors there that it would strongly oppose any attempt to overthrow the government. More than 400 die in Taiwan quake More than 2,100 people are feared trapped under the debris. The quake, similar to the one in Turkey recently, which killed 15,000 people, measured 7.6 on the Richter scale. THE REDIFF SPECIAL Will votes get their children back? 'The children cannot even cry as they are not sure if someone will understand their feelings. Will they ever see their parents who are just 150 km away? Will they ever be adopted by any Indian household?' J S Sai on the level to which tribal Lambadas have sunk in Telangana. THE REDIFF DIARY A matter of food 'Maybe we can experiment with Azhar and see if it works. No more baghare baigan. Instead, put him on a strict diet of sarson da saag, paneer and makki di roti... and let's see if he turns into Kapil Dev.' Anvar Alikhan on why Hyderabadis are what they are. THE REDIFF CHAT 'Delhi is determined to reverse the results in this election' Former Delhi chief minister Sahib Singh Verma speaks his mind. THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS Why have we gotten so insular? 'Lament at the passing away of a generation of politicians with the voice, vision and reach that went far beyond our borders. Lament at our state-sponsored, abnormal, paranoid fixation with all things Pakistani that has blinded us to the rest of the world, including the Third World, which we used to head so long ago,' says Krishna Prasad. When credibility goes for a six 'The media being partisan is understandable, though not entirely excusable. But it being manipulative and malevolent is neither understandable nor forgivable,' says Arvind Lavakare. September 21 Naxals kill 4 AP policemen in mine blast Twelve policemen, including an Indian Police Service officer, and a legislator have been killed by PWG extremists in different incidents in the state since September 4. Army foils another intrusion bid Troops foiled yet another infiltration bid in Balakot area of Mendhar sector, killing a Pakistani intruder. Army to buy T-90s despite 'minor' problems The tanks brought to India for summer trials showed a heating problem at temperatures above 44 degrees Celsius. But a senior army officer said these were "minor problems that can in no way undermine the combat worthiness of the tank". Quotas apply only at entry level, says SC The apex court ruled that reservations would not apply at the time of promotion in government service. Pressure mounts on Karnataka to release Cauvery water Union Petroleum Minister V K Ramamurthy and Tamil Nadu Public Works Minister Durai Murugan urged Prime Minister A B Vajpayee to intervene in the matter in his capacity as chairman of the Cauvery River Authority. No meeting between Jaswant, Aziz in NY An external affairs ministry spokesman said nothing had been fixed in terms of a bilateral meeting between the two foreign ministers. Tension in Aurangabad over statue desecration Tension gripped Asegaon village of Gangapur taluka following the desecration of an Ambedkar statue. The Waluj-MIDC police rushed to the spot with a sniffer dog, which traced the culprit till the Daulatabad railway station. Desecration of statue sparks violence in Madras Tension prevailed in Avaniapuram, on the outskirts of Madurai, following the desecration of a statue of Dr B R Ambedkar. But violence broke out in Madras and Tindivanam. IAF Jaguar crashes into Gorakhpur township The fighter crashed in the busy Boulia railway colony of Gorakhpur while on a routine sortie. But there was no casualty, and the pilot bailed out unhurt. Geologists unearth dinosaur fossil in Kutch A four-member team of geologists from Bombay found the Jurassic Age fossil, said to be one of the oldest prehistoric remains found in India, at Kaur Bet in Kutch. Raisa Gorbacheva is dead The former first lady of the late Soviet Union died in a German hospital of acute leukaemia. She was 67. THE COLUMNISTS Our man in Delhi 'Arun Jaitley fits the Young India profile to the T-shirt... He's sharp, he's sassy, he's sleek, he's suave, he's very camera-friendly, and he's packed with punch lines. In short, all the stuff that good VJs are made of. Question is, can he *make* the music?' says Varsha Bhosle. Voters keep their fingers crossed 'If there is no let-up in the revival of the Congress, the BJP's strength of 181 in the dissolved House may not increase much. It may even go down,' says Kuldip Nayar. Let the people themselves vote to be a part of the nation 'To keep the country united, we Indians have to strengthen nationhood among our people, not just station soldiers in troubled regions. Because armies do not make a nation!' says Amberish K Diwanji Archives |
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