National Events in October 2001
Oct. 1:
Thirtysix persons are killed as a Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide bomber targets the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in Srinagar. The Legislative Council building is gutted.
Lt. Gen. Pankaj Joshi, takes over as the country's first Chief of Integrated Defence Staff.
Oct. 3:
Mr. Keshubhai Patel quits as Gujarat Chief Minister.
Oct. 4:
The President gives his assent to the Energy Conservation Bill, 2001, making India the second country in the world to have such a unique law.
Oct. 5:
The Madras High Court, acquits John David, accused in the murder of a medico, Navarasu, son of the then Madras University Vice-Chancellor, Prof. P.K.Ponnuswamy on Nov. ember 6, 1996 in a hostel on the Annamalai University campus in Chidambaram, for want of evidence.
Oct. 6:
The country's first tri-service unified command at the ground level (theatre) becomes operational with Vice-Admiral Arun Prakash taking over as the Commander-in-Chief of Andaman and Nicobar command.
Oct. 7:
The rebuilt 600-year-old Charar-e-Sharief, in Srinagar (gutted in a two-month stand-off between militants led by Afghan warlord, Mast Gul and security forces on May 10, 1995) is formally opened to the public.
Mr. Narendra Modi, is sworn in Gujarat Chief Minister.
Oct. 9:
The Group of Ministers headed by the Union Finance Minister, Mr.Yaswant Sinha clears a Rs.2,993-crore package for NTC revival.
Oct. 10:
Eminent space scientist, Prof. U.R.Rao, is appointed Prasar Bharati Chairman.
Oct. 12:
The Venkataswami Commission holds that the Tehelka tapes are genuine.
India's ``most wanted criminal'', Farooque Ismail Memon involved in embezzlement of crores of rupees through forgery, is nabbed at Mumbra, in Thane district, Maharashtra.
Oct. 15:
The Prime Minister, Mr.A.B.Vajpayee, inducts the NDA convener, Mr. George Fernandes as the Defence Minister and Mr. Harin Pathak as Minister of State for Defence, in a minor Cabinet reshuffle.
Oct. 16:
The Union Cabinet approves the promulgation of the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance, 2001.
Oct. 17:
The US and India are united against terrorism and that includes the terrorism that has been directed against India as well,`` says the U.S. Secretary of State, Gen. Colin Powell, in New Delhi after a meeting with the Prime Minister, Mr.A.B.Vajpayee.
India and the U.S., sign a Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters.
VHP leaders force entry into the disputed site in Ayodhya and offer pooja to the deity.
Oct. 22:
The ISRO successfully launches from the Sriharikota range the PSLV which places three satellites in orbit, with the Technology Experiments Satellite (TES) considered to be India's first attempt at a military spy satellite.
Oct. 23:
The Union Cabinet clears the first-ever subsidy-based housing scheme - Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana - for urban slum-dwellers.
Oct. 24:
Presidential nod for the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance.
Mr. Sudhakar Kurudkar, a retired Supreme Court judge is named by the Maharashtra Government to probe the Enron deal.
Oct. 26:
Japan lifts sanctions against India and Pakistan imposed in the wake of May 1998 nuclear tests by the two nations.
The Government bans 23 outfits, including Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, besides the LTTE and the ULFA.
Oct. 28:
The German Chancellor, Mr.Gerhard Schroeder approves a $32 million credit for the Tehri dam project in Uttaranchal.
Oct. 29:
The Union Cabinet extends the statute panel's term till February 2002-end.
Oct. 30:
Air Marshal S. Krishnaswamy is named the next chief of the IAF.
Mr.Bhagat Singh Koshiary, is sworn in the second Chief Minister of Uttaranchal.
Oct. 31:
Mr.H.Y. Sharada Prasad, is presented with the Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration.