THE J B PATNAIK RESIGNATION
Gomango's 'hidden talent' will be on test
The one-time English teacher is the only tribal politician from Orissa to have served as a minister under Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Narasimha Rao.
Gomango sworn in
The CM will begin forming his government only after returning from Delhi where he is scheduled to attend the February 19 meeting of the National Development Council.
OTHER REPORTS
No plan to extend Disturbed Areas Act in J&K
The state government has allowed the act to lapse and has no intention of extending it, Deputy Home Minister Mushtaq Ahmad Lone said.
Indian missiles free from Y2K bug, says MoD
The defence ministry's statement is significant as there have been reports that the missiles could go haywire because of the Y2K problem and even hit targets within the country.
Surjeet rules out ties with TDP till Naidu atones for tie-up with BJP
The veteran Marxist politician said Naidu has "gone far from his commitment -- on secularism and federalism".
Bhutto warns of Pak disintegration if economy slides further
Citing the example of the former Soviet Union, ex-PM Benazir Bhutto said, "We cannot advance with nuclear weapons."
THE REDIFF INTERVIEW
'Their agenda is to convert poor people to Christianity'
"When the missionaries say they are working for the downtrodden, it is all a myth. In fact, their agenda is to convert poor people to Christianity," says Pratapchand Sarangi, Orissa Bajrang Dal chief.
Archana Masih, Syed Firdaus Ashraf and photographer Jewella C Miranda toured the tribal belt of Orissa for a week to check out the Bajrang Dal's claims on Christian proselytisation. Check out their reportage starting tomorrow.
THE REDIFF SPECIAL
In memoriam
A tribute to Indira Rehman, who did her bit to promote Bharat Natyam overseas.
THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS
Missionaries of Hope
'For all those who say Mumbai is wicked, mean, violent, I say: Watch these NGOs, see their growing numbers, see the millions of lives that are touched by their efforts. Where divine intervention fails, human effort takes over. They are slowly, imperceptibly, transforming our lives,' says Pritish Nandy.
Why I Am Not A Member
'Religion's greatest contribution to mankind is the way it has made us hate and distrust each other. They preach brotherhood and love and all things nice, but drive us into burning and killing,' says Dilip D'Souza.
Maharashtra: Rane wins assembly's trust
Punjab: Sarabjit Singh is new DGP
Rajashtan: Sardarpura bye-poll will be cakewalk for Gehlot
Tamil Nadu: Bail plea of BJP leader's alleged killers dismissed
THE WEATHER
Nights are warm across north, central India
Night temperatures were appreciably to markedly above normal in sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, east Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Kashmir, west Madhya Pradesh, Saurashtra, Gujarat, the Konkan, Goa, and north-central Maharashtra and in some parts of Assam, Meghalaya, the hills of west Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Vidarbha.
FEBRUARY 17
RSS ideologue blasts Vajpayee
In an extraordinary attack, Dattopant Thengdi has described the prime minister as a petty politician playing into the hands of policy advisers with doubtful credentials.
Chautala withdraws support to government
The coalition's strength in the 545-member Lok Sabha has been reduced to 273, a majority of just one. But the Indian National Lok Dal chief left room for manoeuvre -- he will formally inform the President of his decision only after three days.
THE AKALI POWER STRUGGLE
Badal's men move to oust Tohra from SGPC
Expressing lack of confidence in Tohra, members owing allegiance to the Punjab chief minister have requisitioned a meeting of the SGPC general house within 15 days.
THE BIHAR GOVERNMENT'S DISMISSAL
Governor will be replaced: Advani
Sunder Singh Bhandari will be replaced by an apolitical person so as to give the state an administration that will ensure law and order and help develop social harmony.
Laloo Yadav demands fresh elections
To a query about the reported move to appoint retired police officer Julio F Ribeiro as governor, Yadav cautioned the Centre not to treat Bihar like Punjab or Jammu & Kashmir.
Congressmen want Sonia to back central rule
"If our party votes in favour of President's rule in Bihar, we will be the biggest gainers. If it does not, we will be the biggest losers," a state Congress politician pointed out.
Mulayam seeks Vajpayee government's dismissal
He also accused the Congress of adopting double standards. "What do you say about a party whose president fails to make a statement on the dismissal of the Rabri government even after 72 hours?" he remarked.
Fifth time President's rule has been imposed in two or more states in a month
February 1980 was the record. As many as six states -- Gujarat, Bihar, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu -- were simultaneously brought under central rule.
THE J B PATNAIK RESIGNATION
'I was elected because the Congress is with me, not because I am Gomango'
"All the attack cases against the Christian community are under investigation and review. These are not small cases, but serious ones. And I have to solve these cases. There are problems and we will surely solve the problems." Orissa's Chief Minister-designate Giridhar Gomango, in his first media interview.
'The Orissa Congress and assembly members are not treated as human beings'
"I am surprised on what moral ground Patnaik has resigned. There are so many cases of rape all over the state. Where was his morality then? Why suddenly for these two, three incidents concerning Christians did his consciousness arise?" asks Nandini Satpathy.
Gomango's election was unanimous, say observers
Madhavrao Scindia and Pranab Mukherjee defended the Congress Legislature Party leader's election, saying it was unanimous and based on their assessment of the situation.
THE BUS TO PAKISTAN
All clear for bus service to begin
It will be a symbolic ride for Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee aboard the inaugural Delhi-Lahore bus on Saturday.
Wagah, Wagah
Fifty-one years on, despite three wars, the BSF and the Pakistan Rangers at Wagah have not forgotten the purpose for which the border check post was established.
THE REDIFF SPECIAL
A journey too far
For the Maldhari tribesmen of Kutch, visiting relatives just across the border in Sind involves a tortuous 3,000km detour. Though they can see the villages on the other side, joining their kin for a family ceremony is next to impossible.
THE JAYALALITHA CASES
Special judge rejects Jaya's memo
Judge Radhakrishnan held that he is entitled to proceed with the Pleasant Stay case as no higher court has ordered a stay.
OTHER REPORTS
Suspected Pakistani spy escapes
Zafariya escaped while he was being escorted back to jail after a court hearing in the Jaisalmer spying scandal.
Hegde to resign and return to Karnataka
The Union commerce minister's reluctance to make a categorical statement about returning to Karnataka politics was largely because of concern for his friend, Prime Minister Vajpayee. "I have to think of the national implications. I don't want to cause any problems for the coalition," he said.
Madras HC rejects plea in RSS blast case
The high court dismissed a petition filed by an accused in the case challenging the Tamil Nadu government notification transferring and posting Tamilvanan as judge of the designated TADA court-II, which is trying the case.
Sen, Ravi Shankar receive Bharat Ratna
The President also presented the country's highest civilian award posthumously to Jayaprakash Narayan and Gopinath Bordoloi.
Congress walks out on AP governor's address
The party called the address praising the advances made by the state a "bundle of lies" and said there was no mention of welfare schemes for the poor, only of those that helped industrialists.
Work on India's first 2000 MW atomic plant to start in 2002
The finance ministries of India and Russia are completing the necessary formalities to help implement the project.
One killed as bulls run amok at Trichy festival
Three persons watching the festival from atop a building also sustained serious injuries when the roof collapsed.
THE REDIFF INTERVIEW
'Being aggressive in politics is not the same as being a criminal'
"The murder charge was filed only to embarrass me. I was in Bombay when this man was killed 500km away, in Sindhudurg. The Congress was in dire straits out there and so they planned to finish off my political career." Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan Rane defends himself on the eve of the trust vote in the state assembly.
THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS
The year of living dangerously
'The state of the economy is as crucial to the BJP's future as it is to the nation's, and the seriousness which it accords its own political future will be gauged from how much import it attaches to the nation's on February 27,' says Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
Loss of image, what?
'It is time to remind hypersensitive English-literate Indians that the world beyond India is not all that pure and upright and clean and cultured as they would want us ordinary citizens to believe and hang our heads by comparison,' says Arvind Lavakare.
Goa: State BJP vice-president quits party
Maharashtra: Boy sets himself ablaze hoping superhero will save him
Maharashtra: Rane's test on Wednesday
Punjab: HC rejects police chief Dogra's extension
Uttar Pradesh: 52 Samajwadi Party legislators suspended
THE WEATHER
Unseasonal rain in Maharashtra, Gujarat
Some parts of the two western India states had rain last night owing to a cyclonic circulation in the upper layer of the atmosphere over north Maharashtra and Saurashtra. But the skies were mostly clear and night temperatures in the region remained unchanged.
FEBRUARY 16
THE BIHAR GOVERNMENT'S DISMISSAL
Laloo Yadav threatens violence
The RJD chief, who was arrested during the bandh, claimed the police were beating up his party workers without provocation and creating tension.
RJD demands Bhandari, Advani's ouster
Party spokesman Fatmi said the best course for the Centre would be to let the RJD prove its majority in the assembly and call for fresh elections.
Congress, Mulayam attack President's rule
But the Congress still refused to clarify whether it would vote against the motion in Parliament to ratify Rabri Devi's dismissal in Bihar.
Tohra opposes Rabri Devi's dismissal
Using a few incidents of violence to effect a political change was not desirable, he said. "How come even after the so-called toning up of the state administration, seven people were again gunned down yesterday?"
Sonia's visit fails to impress Narayanpur's men
"Leaders come and go, but our plight remains the same," was one reaction.
11 killed as bandh begins
The state police chief claimed the killings were not related to the caste clashes that have claimed 37 lives this past month, but were the result of rivalry between two Naxalite groups.
THE AKALI POWER STRUGGLE
Giani Puran Singh suffers heart attack after being installed as Akal Takht jathedar
Doctors said fatigue and excitement were the main causes of the ailment. Meanwhile, the ousted jathedar, Bhai Ranjit Singh, said he would convene a 'Sarbat Khalsa' after April 15.
Canadian moderates hail Ranjit Singh's fall
"This guy split the Sikh community here and back home," said one of the British Columbia moderates who were excommunicated last summer for refusing to remove tables and chairs from langar halls.
THE REDIFF INTERVIEW
'There is no question of revival of terrorism'
'The political leadership in the state has been creating a spectre of the revival of militancy in an attempt to oust me from the Akal Takht. It is not appropriate for Sikhs now to raise slogans for a separatist state.' Bhai Ranjit Singh, on the crisis in Punjab.
THE J B PATNAIK RESIGNATION
Giridhar Gomango takes over from Patnaik
In the time-tested Congress tradition, the legislature party left the choice of successor to Sonia Gandhi. Later, the outgoing CM proposed Gomango's name while Hemananda Biswal, a leading aspirant for the chair, seconded it. Former CM Nandini Satpathy, however, walked out.
THE CHRISTIAN ATTACKS ROW
RSS programme to reconvert Christians flops
Just 75 persons 'reconverted' to Hinduism. But BJP parliamentarian Dilip Singh Judeo has set a target of bringing 100,000 Christians back to the fold.
Kerala Christian conference begins peacefully
The church leaders kept both the Left and the Right at bay with a diplomatic approach. They rejected the DYFI's 'protection', saying they had full faith that the VHP would not disrupt the convention.
THE JAYALALITHA CASES
TN will challenge transfer of Jaya's cases
The clarification followed a query by the court whether the Centre's notification is being challenged by anyone. Otherwise all pending matters might become infructuous, it said.
OTHER REPORTS
Militants attack cable operators in valley
Four persons -- three cable TV operators and a video library owner -- were seriously injured when militants fired on them in downtown Srinagar.
5 militants among 8 killed in Kashmir
Home Minister L K Advani has convened a high-level meeting on Tuesday to take stock of the situation and discuss the problems of refugees from the state. Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah will attend the meeting.
Aviation ministry will take action against ATCs
The warning followed complaints by airlines that the 'go-slow' by the traffic controllers since February 1 had caused huge financial losses to them, besides inconveniencing passengers.
Corps of Signals gears up for nuclear threat
The corps, which facilitates the army's communications, is creating "firewalls" to deal with electromagnetic pulses generated by nuclear explosions, says Asia Defence News International.
TN heaves sigh of relief as Coimbatore blasts anniversary passes off peacefully
"The previous year was a year of shame for us, this one was a year of pride," said a top cop. "Brickbats were thrown at us when we failed, but no one, politician or other, has offered a bouquet this time."
Now Buddhists claim Ayodhya as their own
Demanding that Ayodhya be renamed Saket, the World Buddhist Council has demanded large-scale excavations in the town to prove its contention that it was a Buddhist city.
Kesri cleared of bribery, corruption
The Delhi high court took cognisance of a CBI affidavit giving a clean chit to the former Congress president, but refused to comment on it.
Bonhomie marks Sino-Indian border at Sikkim
There is so much bonhomie between the two sides that army chief General V P Malik could walk right up to the barbed border, shake hands with Chinese soldiers, and give them gifts.
Security for Fire is states' lookout: Mahajan
Though the controversial feature film has been cleared again for exhibition, the Centre says it cannot ensure its exhibition in theatres all over the country.
Retired Pak army officers rue nuclear test
A report by Pakistani security analyst Nazir Kamal, sponsored by the United States' Co-operative Monitoring Centre, suggests there were more civilian hawks than military hawks pushing for the response to Pokhran II.
THE REDIFF COLUMNISTS
Blessed are those who wait
'Though both sides were nervous about the fall of the government, the Congress had the most to lose. It saw the clear mandate it expects in 2000 vanishing. Ironically, at the moment, all that Sonia wants is that Vajpayee should stay in office,' says Vir Sanghvi.
Cricket considered harmful
'India's cricket team is lousy. India's cricketers simply cannot beat anybody, even a joke of a team like New Zealand, unless it is on specially doctored local surfaces,' says Rajeev Srinivasan.
In the end Bhagwat may become a legend for the wrong reason
'If the Delhi high court reviews Bhagwat's records and dismisses the case, the naval battle will formally have ended. But the PR battle, to separate the issue of the dismissal from the morass of emotion, has already been lost by the government,' feels Major General (retd) Ashok K Mehta.
Andhra Pradesh: Naxals burn sarpanch's house in Warangal
THE WEATHER
It may snow in Nainital
Rain or snow is likely to occur at a few places in the hills of west Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.
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