(16 May - 16 June, 2000)
NATIONAL POLITICS
Party Politics: *BJP suffers a stunning defeat in an Assembly bye-election in Etah from rebel Kalyan Singh's Rashtriya Kranti Party. Kalyan Singh seeks Muslim support to defeat BJP in UP. *BJP draws blank in W. Bengal civil election (30 May).
*RSS asks cadre to stay away from politics and to concentrate on Sangh network (6 June). Criticises Government's economic policy (11 June). Warns Centre on meat export (15 June).
*JD(U) faces crisis of identity, rising tension between JD(S) and Samata (24 May).
Congress: *Rising leader Rajesh Pilot dies in car accident (11 June). Death nationally mourned. *K. Rahman Khan, Dy. Leader in Rajya Sabha rejects Gadgil's plea for Congress promoting Hindu interests (22 May).
*Stages a come back in W. Bengal in civil polls, without joining TC's Mahajot (30 May)
*Calls for Advani's resignation in view of bailable warrant by M.P. High Court for election offence (9 June)
*Rashtriya Lok Dal Ajit Singh snaps ties with Congress in UP.
*NCP anniversary celebration is a damp squib (10 June)
*Left: Basu joins ex-PM's caravan in continued search for alternative (24 May). *Meeting convened by Chandra Shekhar at Bhondsi flops (28 May).
*Dalits: Some Dalit leaders seek alliance with Dwijas, now led by BJP.
Constitution Review: *Commission fails to distribute: questionnaires, seeks suggestions from public (15 June).
Reservation: *Sonia Gandhi calls for legislation for fully implementing SC/ST reservation (25 May).
*Delhi University teachers urge exemption of teaching posts from reservation,
"Kerala Government adopts modified guidelines for identifying 'creamy layer (24 May)
*Jats included by Delhi in OBC List (2 June).
Election: *CEC Gill seeks full disciplinary control on government staff on election duty (3 June).
Corruption: *Law Commission recommends forfeiture of disproportionate assets of corrupt officers (7 June).
*Chief Vigilance Commissioner seeks powers to investigate officers of All India and Central Services without prior Government permission (7 June).
Terrorism: *Government circulates draft Anti-Terrorism Bill as approved by Law Commission to political parties (17 May). Allays journalists' fears. Congress denies support (30 May).
Education: *Government withholds information from Parliament about RSS affiliate, Vidya Bharati, which runs 6000 schools and is known for its 'Hindutva' textbooks (1 June).
*ASI develops saffron slant in excavation and conservation policy, allege eminent scholars (6 June).
Population: *Health Minister Thakur proposes legislation to enforce two-child norm (29 May).
Conversion: *VHP and Bajrang Dal reiterate the demand for legislation against conversion and for ouster of foreign missionaries (26 May).
*72 tribal Christian in Orissa reconverted to Hinduism (2 June). Puri Shakaracharya promises them separate temples.
Human Rights: *NHRC directs Orissa to pay compensation to illegally retained boy (3 June).
*Finds UP accounts for more violations than rest of country (7 June).
*Amnesty International castigates India for persistent violation of human rights.
Small States: *Kantaparis in North Bengal demands separate State (29 May).
Foreign Poiicy: *Advani seeks nuclear and intelligence tie-up with israel (15 June).
*India express concern at forced deposition of PM Choudhury and presses for restoration of democracy in Fiji (30 May).
BABARI MASJID QUESTION
Mandir Construction: *VHP announces plan for Rath Yatra from Jaipur to Ayodhya to carry stone pillars etc. for putting up full-scale model Mandir to remobilise waning support (3 June). BMMCC calls for ban. Congress demands clarification (14 June).
*HP says date and method to begin construction shall be finalised by Dharam Sansad during Kumbh Mela in January 2001 (4 June).
Liberhan Commission: *Former Home Secretary UP Prabhat Kumar (now Cabinet Secretary) summoned by Commission under warrant of arrest (23 May). Denies any prior perception of threat to Masjid in his deposition.
Confirms that the CM Kalyan Singh barred central forces from resort to firing under any circumstances (9 June). The UP intelligence had SNP Singh contradicts Kumar (14 June).
Violence in Ayodhya: *Mahant Jagdish Das of Hanuman Garhi shot dead (16 May). GOI order CBI probe in bomb-blast in Faizabad in which Mahant Ram Chandra Das Paramhans and 10others were injured (30 May).
KASHMIR QUESTION
RSS: *In a major shift, RSS seeks consensus on trifurcation of State, with separate statehood for Jammu and Union Territory status for Ladakh and a Security Zone for Hindus in Valley (23 May).
* Panun Kashmir supports proposal (24 May). Buddhists demand separate region for Ladakh (13 June).
Government-Hurriyat Talks: * Government rules out tripartite talks (29 May). Home Minister Advani hopeful .of talks in 6 months (30 May). Congress and CPI want unconditional talks. National Conference sees no objection to dialogue (3 June). National Seminar in Srinagar supports 'talks for peace' (4 June). Hurriyat sees malafide in talks offer to deceive world opinion and reiterates its stand (7 June). Shabbir Shah supports Pakistan's involvement in peace talks (6 June). Yasin Malik calls for Intifada against Brahmanical imperialism (14 June).
*Visiting Muslim leaders Syed Shahabuddin and Mahmood Madni support unconditional dialogue and propose mobilisation of people against violence and for dialogue (6 June).
National Conference: * Farooq Abdullah seeks 'greater autonomy' as panacea and the only solution (23 May) *BJP opposes autonomy (15 June).
Militancy: *Rockets fired at J&K Assembly (19 May). Grenades hurled at State Secretariat (23 May).
*Ex-Minister and Shia leader Iftekhar Ansari survives bomb attack. 11 killed (2 June). Hurriyat condemns blast.
*Anti-militancy operation continues. Government to issue identity cards to residents along Indo-Pak border (31 May).
*JKLF leader Amanullah Khan calls Pak-based militants threat to Kashmir Movement (3 June).
Custodial Killings: *Hurriyat organises 2-day Bandh against custodial killings (25 May).
*Sopore people mourns and buries 6 youth killed in encounter (25 May).
*Pulwama people protests against alleged killing of youth in army custody (2 June).
*Pampore people protests against custodial killing of a youth (3 June). Massive protest demonstration in Srinagar for another killing (11 June).
Government: *Pandian Commission begins hearings in Brakpora firing (17 May).
Hurriyat: *Hurriyat objects to division on religious lines (24 May). *Postponement of election of Chairman exposes cracks (29 May). UK-based Kashmiri leader Ayub Thakur calls for sinking differences (13 June).
Muslim Delegation: *A 3 man Delegation led by Syed Shahabuddin visits Valley (31 May - 6 June); meets Governor, CM and leaders of Hurriyat and all political parties; interacts with human rights activists and jurists.
Visits Chattinghpore, Achhabal and Sopore to meet next-of-kin of recent victims; proposes moratorium on killings and unconditional dialogue (6 June) - [See Statement].
PIPF: *Holds conference on Peace and Justice in Srinagar and issue Srinagar Declaration calling for immediate and unconditional talks (12 June).
Pakistan: *Pakistan's C.E. Musharraf proposes Kashmir as the only agenda for talks with PM Vajpayee (25 May).
*Pakistan F.M., A. Sattar, supports Hurriyat's agenda of independence (5 June).
USA: *USA official Pickering warns against escalation of border conflict (24 May).
*GOI denies report of US-sponsored negotiations. USA denies reports on mediation (8 June).
OTHER MATTERS OF CONCERN
Infiltration: *Congress rejects proposed repeal of Tribunal Act but remains silent on definition and safeguards for indigenous people (17 May).
*Delhi police launches deportation drive against Bangladeshi immigrants; harassment of genuine citizens and destruction of evidence by police alleged (12 June). JUH and Shahabuddin voice protest.
*Preparatory to Assembly elections, Assam plans to deport 12,000 persons found to be illegal Bangladeshi immigrants by Tribunals because they had not registered under Foreigners law.
*CPI(Assam) demands 26 January, 1950 as cut-off date and supports restructuring of constituencies to divide Bengalis (5 June).
AMU: *Former Ambassador Hamid Ansari appointed as Vice-Chancellor (23 May). On joining promises democratic functioning and better academic standards (30 May)
*Staff Association demands probe on illegal decision of former VC (28 May).
Masjids: *Delhi Court summons Abdullah Bukhari, Imam of Jama Masjid, Delhi, in case related to unauthorised construction. (7 June).
*Mumbai Municipal Corporation demolishes an unauthorised Masjid; 1 killed in firing (7 June).
Religious Places Bill: *JUH demands repeal of Acts restricting construction and repair of religious places in MP, Rajasthan and W. Bengal (23 May).
*AIMPLB Working Committee reiterates stand and calls upon heads of Muslim institutions to defy police harassment.
Education: *Ex-Minister Saifuddin Soz proposes All India Madarsas Education Board (24 May).
*UP Government bars post-graduate education to those getting less than 50% marks (30 May).
Personal Law: * AIMPLB expresses willingness to have talks with NCW on status of Muslim women (1 June).
*AIMPLB President Qasmi denounces Panigrahi judgement on extension of Iddat till remarriage (14 June).
*Law Minister Jethmalani reiterates national. Policy against interference in personal law (16 May).
*Law Commission proposes equal property law (27 May). Public Employment: *Muslims account for 3.5% (highest ever) of successful candidates in Civil Services Examination, 1999 (25 May).
Cow Protection: *GOI proposes set up National Commission for Protection of Cows (17 May).
Anti-Christian Violence: *12 injured in bomb blast in Chruch in Machhlipatnam, AP (22 May). School Principal near Mathura murdered (7 June). Blast rocks Churches in AP, Goa and Karnataka (8 June). Christian preacher killed in Punjab (11 June). Priest beaten up in Orissa (14 June).
*CBCI head Archbishop Lastic denounces violence and government's silence (9 June). Leads Christian Delegation to PM (12 June).
*BJP sees hand of ISI behind anti-Christian violence-(9 June). Vajpayee says minorities are safe (12 June). BJP asks Hindu and Christian groups to end hate campaign (13 June). *Congress demands judicial problem in AP blasts (11 June). *UCFHR calls for minorities alliance and NDA partners to review support to BJP.
*PUCL demands high level judicial inquiry (11 June).
Bohra Community: *Bohra dissident leader Asghar Ali Engineer demands anti-excommunication law (22 May).
Urdu: *Government promises high level committee to inchude more minority languages in 8 Schedule (9 June).
Census: *Asad Madni and Syed Shahabuddin ask Muslims to be vigilant during Census 2001.
Other Minorities: *Punjab CM Badal asserts separate Sikh identity (22 May).
JMI: Ashwini Kumar Enquiry Committee justifies police action in Jamia but finds excessive use of force (13 June). Non-withdrawal of cases regenerate unrest.
Muslim World - Syria: *Son Bashar succeeds Hafiz al Asad, as President and C-W-C.
Pakistan: *Ex-PM Bednazir seeks ban on training of Mujahideen' in Madarsas (24 May)
*Film 'Jinnah' released in Paksitan (2 June).
*Ex-PM Sharief vows to expose Kargil debacle (13 June).
Chechenya: *Russian Field Commander calls upon government to conclude war (7 June).
Commemoration: *117th birth anniversary of Savarkar organised officially by MCD (28 May).
*16b death anniversary of Mufti Atiqur Rahman observed by Burhan.
Obituary: Maulana Ahmad Ali, President, JUH, Assam, 85 passes away in Bombay (11 June).
*Sayeed Khan, well-known social worker of Delhi passes away in Delhi (30 May).
