Food must reach the starving, not rot: S.C.
Expressing serious concern over the
starvation deaths in some States, the Supreme Court today
observed that it was the primary responsibility of the Central
and State Governments to ensure that the foodgrains overflowing
in FCI godowns reached the starving people and not wasted by
being dumped in the sea or eaten by rats.
Allies oppose 'saffronisation of education': BJP stands isolated
The Bharatiya Janata Party finds itself
totally isolated from its allies in the National Democratic
Alliance on the issue of saffronisation of education. Leaders of
the coalition parties have already let it be known that even if
the Human Resource Development Ministry continues to push its
agenda through, the States where they have their Governments will
simply refuse to accept the new textbooks and the changes made in
the syllabus. There is no way the Centre could force its view on
the States.
India has open mind on trade issues: PM
The Prime Minister, Mr. A. B. Vajpayee, today
stressed that India was prepared to engage ``constructively and
with an open mind'' with developed countries on all issues
relating to global trade.
Hurriyat critical of relief to security forces
The Hurriyat Conference today sharply
criticised the move to give relief to security personnel accused
of human rights violations during fight against militancy and
said the move reinforced ``our view that the security personnel
have official patronage of the Government to violate human rights
in the State.
PM's remarks on Christian missionaries slammed
The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari
Vajpayee's remarks at a book release function about Christian
missionaries being engaged in conversions, has evoked strong
protests in Parliament and outside.
Probe resisted
Members of an official team, set up to book
medical clinics engaged in female foeticide in Faridabad, near
here, were reportedly roughed up when they tried to investigate a
complaint against one such clinic.
Another naval officer held
The police have picked up another senior
Naval officer on charges of espionage and are interrogating him.
They also suspect the involvement of some more in the spy ring.
Lt.Cdr. Rajkumar, chief of security in the Naval Armament Depot
here, is believed to have admitted that he had even accepted
money once or twice from some agents.
10 policemen die in blast
In a major strike by naxalites, ten policemen
were killed and two others seriously injured in a landmine blast
triggered by the outlawed People's War Group near Remidicherla
village in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh today.
Turnover period abolished
The Government today decided to abolish the
turnover period limit of 30 days imposed on recognised dealers of
sugar in a bid to further liberalise the trade.
Another Indo-Pak. meeting
The first political contact between India and
Pakistan after the Agra summit last month will take place when
the Pakistan Commerce Minister, Mr. Razzak Abdul Dawood, arrives
here later this week.
Basmati patent for U.S. firm
The United States Patent Office has given a
``varietal patent'' to a Texan company for selling its three
varieties of Basmati rice but this in no way prevented India from
cultivating and selling its own varieties.
