'We can't be pushed around'
The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, pronounced himself a ``deshbhakt'' (patriot) who ``did not need a certificate from anyone''.

'Fernandes spoke on DD as Minister'
The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) today clarified that Mr. George Fernandes was still holding the defence portfolio, when he made a statement on Doordarshan last week.

PMO ultimatum angers Mamata
The gap between the BJP-led Government and its estranged ally, Trinamool Congress, further widened today with the former Railway Minister, Ms. Mamata Banerjee, ignoring the ultimatum issued by the Prime Minister's Office.

BJP begins firefighting
The BJP today rushed to protect the Prime Minister's Office from the attack by its former ally, the Trinamool Congress, which has alleged in Kolkata that a communication received by it from Mr. Sudheendra Kulkarni in the PMO, was ``uncivilised''.

Sack Brajesh, says Thackeray
The Shiv Sena, chief, Mr. Bal Thackeray, today demanded immediate removal of the Principal Secretary, Mr. Brajesh Mishra, and the Officer on Special Duty, Mr. N.K. Singh, from the PMO till the judicial inquiry into the Tehelka expose was completed.

Railways for Nitish
The Agriculture Minister, Mr. Nitish Kumar, was today given additional charge of Railways. The President, Mr. K. R. Narayanan, on the advice of the Prime Minister directed Mr. Nitish Kumar to hold the charge of Minister of Railways, in addition to his current charge, a Rashtrapati Bhavan release said.

Commonwealth warns Pak.
The Commonwealth today warned of ``stronger measures'' against the military regime in Pakistan if it failed to make a more ``definite progress'' towards a timetable for restoration of democracy through free and fair elections by October this year.

Tehelka chief hands over tapes, transcript
The editor-in-chief of tehelka. com, Mr. Tarun Tejpal, appeared before the Army court of inquiry probing bribery allegations against some its officers. Mr. Tejpal, who deposed under oath for over 90 minutes, also handed over the nearly four and a half hour long Tehelka videotapes.