NATIONAL AFFAIRS
BJP: *President elect B. Laxman calls upon BJP cadre to reach out to Muslims to improve electoral prospects (27 Aug). Statement received with scepticism and suspicion by Muslim leadership and secular forces. His 10-point programme for deprived groups does not include Muslim.
*VHP and Shiv Sena oppose BJP's new line.
*Congress condemn it as poll gimmick and opportunism.
*Laxman reiterates Hindutva ideology and permanent commitment with Ayodhya and other issues, not on NDA Agenda (31 Aug).
*Vajpayee claims BJP's identity is separate from RSS (2 Sept). In New York reiterates his permanent membership of the RSS (9 Sept). Secular parties protest and seek clarification. Clarification rejected, even by RSS spokesman.
*Vajpayee tightens his grip over BJP in selecting office- bearers (11 Sept).
Government: *PM Vajpayee addresses UN Millennial Summit in New York and pays official visit to USA; addresses VHP meeting in New York and US Congress.All speeches focus on Pakistan's adoption of terrorism as State policy. CTBT not signed; sanctions not lifted.
*VHP Sadhus and nominees form part of Indian delegation to unofficial Religious Summit in New York (28 Sept). Some MP's protest.
NDA: *Mamata Banerjee demands President's rule in W. Bengal but rules out quitting NDA (24 Aug). NDA delegation suggests declaration of troubled districts as Disturbed.
*TDP opposes saffronisation of education (14 Sept).
*JD(U) on thrashed of split. Paswan to form new party. Constitutional Review: . Commission records little progress (28 Aug). Punjab demands autonomy.
Census: *TDP leader and other MP's demand Caste Census (18 Aug).
Small States: Ajit Singh's campaign for Harit Pradesh out of UP pieks up. Purvanchal and Bundelkhand movements also gain momentum ..
*Demand for Vidarbha, Telengana, Sikkim-Darjeeling also raised.
Electoral Reform: *CPM question EC's competence to deregister parties (18 Aug).
*Government decides not to change State-wise distribution of Lok Sabha and Assembly seats upto 2025 but to rationalize size of Constituencies in States.
*CEC Gill asks for early resolution of pending issues like control on Poll Officials (12 Sept).
Reservation: *Rajya Sabha passes amendment to reduce qualification for SC/ST (17 Aug).
PIO - Fiji: *Ex-PM Mahendra Choudhury visits India and leaves empty handed. Interim Government of Fiji questions Choudhury's loyalty (24 Aug).
*Government sets up panel to review status of and policy towards PIO's (1 Sept).
UN Summit: *Pledges concerted action against international terrorism (9 Sept).
Pakistan: Vajpayee rejects dialogue with Pakistan until it stops support to terrorism in the name of Jihad (8 Sept).
Religious Minorities: *MP's voice concern over persecution of minorities in Lok- Sabha. In reply HM Advani omits Surat (17 Aug).
*US State Dept. raps India over treatment of minorities (6 Sept).
*US Congress opens Special Session to hear Vajpayee with Vedic invocation (14 Sept).
Veerappan Affair: S.C. refuses to authorise release of TADA detenues and withdrawal of cases as part of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka's deal with Veerappan (29 Aug). Asks State Government to quit if it can't handle law and order.
Population Control: Maharashtra introduces 2 child norms and penalties for third child (4 Sept). Muslims feel targeted.
Human Rights: *SC rules out deadline for custodial torture cases (5 Sept).
*NHRC directs AP to pay compensation for custodial. death after torture, UP Government for death of undertrial due to police negligence, UP Government for detention of innocent persons, Karnataka for death in police custody; notices J&K and Union for missing persons
ISI: *UP police claims discovery of ISI base in UP and a new militant outfit. *Some more persons belonging to Deendar Anjuman arrested in Maharashtra, AP and Kerala. *Senior Congress leader Tayyab Husain, now Minister in Rajasthan accused by VHP of linkage with ISI. CM orders inquiry.
KASHMIR QUESTION
Government: *Advani says Government open to talks with all militants, who give up violence and terror (17Aug).
*Vajpayee blames Pakistan for derailing peace process (17 Aug).
*Defence Minister Fernandes rules out hot pursuit (26 Aug).
Sangh Parivar: *RSS opposes second cease-fire; counsels emergency and war (25 Aug).
*RSS presses for trifurcation (27 Aug). Hizb opposes division on communal lines (20 Aug).
*VHP advocates war against militants (22 Aug).
*BJP N.C. endorses J&K Policy (28 Aug). Other
Parties: *A.B. Hindu Mahasabha demands abrogation of Article 370 and resettlement of displaced Pandits (10 Sept).
TK: MHA M.M. Sayeed calls for unconditional talks with Pakistan (3 Sept).
Congress: *Lok Sabha Resolution for judicial probe in killing of Amarnath pilgrims lost (22 Aug).
SP demands air strikes against training camps in Pakistan.
Hurriyat: *Reiterates idea of tripartite talks (19 Aug). Rejects suggestion to have separate talks between India and Pakistan. Differences surface between Geelani and Bhati (28 Aug). *OIC recognises Hurriyat as representative of Kashmir people.
Hizb: *Dismisses spokesman Quraishi; Dar section in Kashmir calls for another cease-fire (22 Aug). Tries to rope in other militants (24 Aug). Hizb sticks to tripartite talks. Salahuddin backs Dar against Geelani (25 Aug). Hizb opposes dialogue within Indian Constitution (12 Sept). Pak J.I. takes over Hizb (10 Sept). *Opposes and stops Census 2001 in J&K.
Militancy: Offices and camps selectively targeted. Lashkar's suicide squads in operation (12 Sept).
*Iftikhar Ansari survives second attack (1 Sept). *Lashkar enforces 'purdah', wants TV relays and beauty parlours to close (8 Sept).
*Ex-Army Chief S.R Chowdhury proposes: Internationalization of LoC (20 Aug). *Vajpayee Habibullah, IAS, sees autonomy along way to resolve crisis (2 Sept).
Others: *PPF leaders propose semi-sovereign status for J&K (2 Sept). Hizb opposes (3 Sept).
Foreign Reaction – Pakistan: *CEO Musharraf at Special UN Summit calls for intervention of Security Council (7 Sept). Canvasses for US mediation. Asks for more pressure on India (8 Sept).
USA: *US asks Pakistan to create conducive situation for dialogue (14 Sept).
UK: *Home Secretary Straw supports bilateral negotiation (11 Sept).
China: *Proposes Pakistan's involvement in Kashmir solution (11 Sept).
Maldives: *President Qayoom calls for direct talks (22 Aug).
Human Rights: *NHRC seeks report on Sopore killings (22 Aug). *J&K to pay Rs. 2 lakh as interim relief for custodial death (30 Aug).
Pandian Commission: *SP, Anantnag, blames army for the killing of 5 innocent persons. Commission records evidence of 50 witnesses (30 Aug).
BABARI MASJID QUESTION
Political Development: *In his speech in New York, Vajpayee promises VHP to construct Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, if he gets a 2/3 majority (9 Sept). *UP BJP President Kalraj Mishra visits Ayodhya for Darshan and blessings of VHP-related Sants (1 Sept).
CBI Case: *Allahabad H.C. hears revision petition by the CBI (24 Aug), orders deferral of hearing by another 6 weeks (14 Sept).
Liberhan Commission: *Former CM Kalyan Singh fails to turn up (18 Aug). Files petition with Delhi H.C. for quashing summons (22 Aug). Commission adjourns hearing to 22 Sept (4 Sept). Hearing of writ filed by Kalyan Singh and 24 Ministers of his cabinet postponed (14 Sept).
Title Suit: *AIMPLB decides not to produce more witnesses. H.C. reserves orders.
VHP: *Plans Model-Yatra from Jaipur to Ayodhya. Congress asks GOI to clarify stand. *Reiterates resolve to begin construction, without waiting for court order and "even if NDA government falls" (12 Sept). Speeds up work on pillars. *BMMCC asks Government to take note of VHP's plans (29 Aug). *UP Government appoints experts to advise on facelift for Ayodhya (10 Sept).
OTHER MATTERS OF CONCERN
AMU: *Agra Police arrests BUMS final student Abdul Mubeen (3 Sept). Charges him with involvement with ISI and sabotage. SIMI denies connection. Students Struggle Committee holds dharna. IB Inspector Rajan Sharma manhandled (6 Sept). VC rusticates 4 students named by administration.
*UP authorities launch propaganda campaign against AMU and press VC to close University. Staff Association and EC oppose move.
*Muslim leaders visit Campus. University continues to function normally.
*Stage-managed students' unrest on denial of admission tapers off.
Personal Law: *S.C. Constitution Bench hears cases relating to Muslim Divorcees Act, 1986 (29 Aug). AIMPLB is represented.
*Central Government seeks views of states on amendment to Hindu Succession Act, 1956 on property rights of daughters (29 Aug).
*NHRC proposes raising maintenance under Section 125 to Rs. 5000 (11 Sept).
*GS AIMPLB emphasises the need for Dar-ul Qaza for cheap and expeditious justice (27 Aug).
*Muslim Women's Forum calls for codification of Muslim Personal Law (23 Aug).
Communal Violence: *In its Report on the Communal Situation in Gujarat, the NCM holds VHP and Bajrang Dal responsible and recommends higher representation of Muslims in the police force and imposition of punitive fines (31 Aug). *Maharashtra sets up STF to implement the Sri Krishna Report (31 Aug). *Mathura returns to normal, curfew lifted (22 Aug). Communal violence in Nanded. Curfew clamped (13 Sept).
UP Religious Places Bill: *Some provisions referred to the State for clarification (22 Aug). *V.K. Malhotra, MP, calls for a ban on the construction of Madarsas in border districts.
Minorities Commission: *Rajasthan Minorities *Commission seeks statutory status (13 Sept).
Education: *Congress MP E. Faleiro urges Government to implement recommendations of the National Steering Committee on Textbook Evaluation, 1991 (25 Aug).
Urdu: *CBSE reportedly agrees to include Urdu as an optional subject for the secondary level (31 Aug).
Haj: *Haj Committee holds Annual Haj Conference in Delhi. *MOS Panja promises Haj Bill in the winter session (22 Aug).
Conversion: *DM, Meerut, orders a magisterial inquiry into the conversion of a Hindu family to Islam (17 Aug).
Infiltration: *SC asks the Central Government to decide whether to repeal the (DT) Act (28 Aug).
Reservation: *IUML President Banatwalla in Lok Sabha demands reservation for Muslims in public employment.
Renaming: *Delhi H.C. asks Union to clarify its stand on guidelines for renaming of roads (5 Sept).
Monuments: *Delhi H.C. serves notice on ASI regarding unauthorized construction in and near Begumpuri Masjid (2 Sept).
Cattle Menace: *Delhi H.C. asks Government to clarify its stand on stray cattle (7 Sept).
Other Minorities: *Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Sikh delegations at the World Peace Summit oppose the right to propagate religion under the 1948 UNDHR (2 Sept). *Church and priest's residence attacked in Ogana (Udaipur) (31 Aug). *President of SGPC sees need for a separate Sikh Personal Law (20 Aug). *Allahabad H.C. includes Sikh Jats in B.C. (25 Aug).
Muslim World – Central Asia: *IDSA Seminar on India-Central Asia considers India's policy directionless (12 Sept).
Palestine: *President Arafat visits India to explain PLO's stand on Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees and Jewish settlements (18 Aug). *PM Barak offers state for peace (18 Aug). Palestinian National Council decides to defer proclamation of independence (13 Sept).
Pakistan: *Commonwealth considers military rule in Pakistan unacceptable.
Bangladesh: *Government decides to return property of Hindus seized in 1965 (3 Sept). *PM Hasina's demand for an apology from Pakistan affects bilateral relations (10 Sept).
Obituary: *Ex-Minister, Kerala, P.P. Umer Koya, 87, passes away in Kozhikode (1 Sept). *Film actor Mohd. Mukri, 78, passes away in Mumbai. *Prof. Md. Aslam Khan, former HOD of Persian at Delhi University, passes away (16 Aug). *Former J&K Minister Zainab Begum, 84, passes away in Srinagar (16 Aug).
Commemoration: *11th death anniversary of Sheikh Abdullah observed in Srinagar (9 Sept). *Oxford University Centre for Islamic Studies announces the Abul Hasan Ali Nadavi Scholarship (14 Sept).
