NATIONAL AFFAIRS
Government: *Coalition Government completes 1 year. Congress calls it 'a year of disgrace'. BJP, year of achievement. Analysts consider survival itself an achievement (18 Mar).
POLITICAL CRISIS
*Jayalalitha (J) demands shift of George Fernandes from Defence, reinstatement of Bhagwat as CONS and formation of Joint Parliamentary Committee to go into Bhagwat Affair (27 Mar). BJP and allies decide to reject J. demands (30 Mar).
Minister Kumaramangalam questions continuance of AIADMK in government (31 Mar). J. threatens with 'other option'(2 Apr). Demands sacking of Fernandes (3 Apr). Pulls out 2 Ministers (5 Apr). Withdraws from Coordination Committee (9 Apr). Formally withdraws support (13 Apr). President asks Vajpayee to seek Vote of Confidence (13 Apr). Vajpayee moves motion of confidence (15 Apr). Loses by 269 to 270. Resigns (17 Apr).
*BJP negotiates with DMK, BSP and INLD (Chautala) for support and with individual members of other parties to face trial.
DMK switches side; INLD returns to BJP's side. BSP opposes motion, after declaring abstention; Saifuddin Soz (NC) violates party whip to oppose (17 Apr). All other coalition partners stay in line.
Party Politics
Congress(I): *Congress Minorities Committee convenes meeting of 'minority leaders'. Forms 16-member Committee to promote minorities interests.
*CWC finalises the Panchmarhi Declaration but decides to treat it as reference, and not as policy document, to pave the way for return of ex-Congressmen and formation of coalition
government (17 Mar).
*Congress reiterates its commitment to function as responsible and responsive opposition until ruling coalition collapses under the weight of its own contradictions; denies bid to topple government (23 Mar). *Sonia Gandhi denies bid to form government with Left support (26 Mar). Her presence at Swamy's tea party in honour of Jayalalitha sets off political earthquake (29 Mar). *Congress declares all non-RSS parties as Secular and fit to be coalition partners (2 Apr). *Welcomes J's growing rift with BJP; Sees government's fall imminent (3 Apr).
*Expresses readiness to form Congress-led coalition (13 Apr). CWC vests full authority in Sonia Gandhi to form alternative government (17 Apr).
BJP: *Over 30 MLAs demand change of leadership in UP (5 Apr).
Left: *CPM & CPI repeatedly call upon Congress to form government, despite RSP and FB's opposition and offer support from outside. *CPM criticises upsurge of Muslim communalism
in Kerala (6 Apr).
Third Front: *JD reiterates support to Sonia Gandhi from outside. Paswan finally falls in line.
*RLM (Mulayam Singh and Laloo Prasad) favours coalition government with or without a Congress PM.
*DMK calls J 'bigger scourge than communalism' (13 Apr). Breaks from Front and votes for Vajpayee Government (17 Apr).
*BSP favours mid-term polls (4 Apr).
Election: *Samata Party loses national party status (24 Mar).
*EC considering ban on religious or caste names for political parties (25 Mar).
Infiltration: * Government reiterates intention to repeal IMDT Act (18 Mar) but denies amendment to Citizenship Act to bar children of illegal immigrants. NCM advises against repeal (14 Apr).
Assam Situation: *Bodoland area extended (3 Apr). Bodo leadership wants more (13 Apr).
Conversion: *VHP selects Indo-Nepal border to conduct minorities census and to block conversion (1 Apr).
*VHP threatens stir against MP legislation on management of Hindu shrines (3 Apr).
*Programme of Reconversion of tribals shows poor response.
National Language: *DK opposes Centre's proposal to observe 1999 as Year of Sanskrit as imposition of Hindutva (18 Mar).
Bihar Situation: *RJD Government with Rabri Devi reinstalled as CM wins vote of confidence. Congress boycotts; CPI abstain, Samata splits (17 Mar)
*MCC kills 35 persons of high caste in village Senrai (19 Mar). Congress leaders criticise State Government, press for change of CM; RJD rules out change (22 Mar). Congress Delegation
unable to visit Senrai (19 Mar).
Defence: *Agni II I.B.M. tested successfully (11 Apr).
Pakistan retaliates with Ghouri II. USA and China criticise. Corruption - Bofors Case: *Congress challenges government to go ahead with probe and prove complicity of Rajiv or Sonia (17 Mar). SC upholds CBI's warrant of arrest against Quattrochhi.
Satish Sharma Case: *CBI registers case for disproportionate wealth (21 Mar)
Bituman Case: *CBI interrogates Bihar Minister Ilyas Husain in Bituman Case
NRI: *Government introduces Person of Indian Origin Card to facilitate NRI's contacts (31 Mar).
Reservation: *Lok Sabha rocked by protest over government orders limiting reservation in promotion (17 Mar). Government promises review and even constitutional amendment, if
necessary (22 Mar).
*Tamil Nadu CM rejects economic criteria (13 Apr). Human Rights: *US State Deptt.'s Annual Report alleges violation in India. Government criticises report as incorrect (17 Mar).
Minorities Rights: *NCM recommends minority status for Hindus in Meghalaya (3 Apr).
*Gujarat rejects NCM proposal for State Minorities Commission (18 Mar). *UP Assembly adopts legislation to dilute or even abolish State Minorities Commission (20 Mar). NCM expresses concern (22 Mar).
*Delhi promises establishment of State Minorities Commission (22 Mar).
KASHMIR QUESTION
Political: *BJP Team holds Centre and State responsible for militant strikes against Hindus in Jammu (19 Mar).
*Panthers Party demands bifurcation of State (24 Mar). CPI(M) opposes proposal (4 Apr).
*JKLF postpones Mirpur Conference because Hurriyat and
JKLF leaders unable to attend.
*State Autonomy Committee Report tabled in State Assembly (13 Apr). Report demands repeal of post-1952 legislation.
*F.M. Jaswant Singh rules out third party mediation (2 Apr)
*CM Farooq Abdullah blames Centre for financial crisis and indifference (21 Mar).
Pakistan: *President Tarar, P.M. Sharif, F.M. Aziz reiterate Pakistan's commitment to right of self-determination for people of J&K (23 Mar). Pakistan calls for withdrawal of Indian forces
(25 Mar). Benazir Bhutto proposes withdrawal of Indian and Pakistani forces from LOC (26 Mar).
*At UN Human Rights Commission, POK NGO calls for freedom for people of Gilgit and Baltistan (7 Apr).
Foreign Reaction
*US-based KAC asks USA to appoint Special Envoy in Kashmir and assert itself as mediator (26 Mar)
UK: Former British High Commission Gore Booth suggests internationalisation of LOC (14 Apr).
OTHER MATTERS OF CONCERN AND INTEREST
Id-al Adha: *President and PM offer Id greetings to Muslim community (29 Mar).
*Bajrang Dal and VHP's demand for ban on slaughter on Bakrid as it coincides with Mahavir Jayanti cause tension. However, Id passes off peacefully in Gujarat, UP and Maharashtra (29 Mar).
Urdu: *PM Promises help for promotion of Urdu at 25th anniversary of UP Urdu Akademi (28 Mar).
*Indo-Pakistan Mushaira held in New Delhi.
Haj: *Nearly 95,000 Indian pilgrims perform Haj (27 Mar).
Government spends over 100 crores as subsidy for Haj charter and denutes a 30-man Delegation with Prof. A.M. Khusro as Leader.
Communal Violence: *Clash in Mysore on transportation of cows allegedly for slaughter (24 Mar)
*Tension in Khalilabad on BJP's objection to performance of
Namaz by outsiders in Kotwali Masjid (9 Apr).
Education: * AP Government issues G.O. to facilitate recognition of minority educational institution.
*Rajasthan Government forms Committee to review school syllabus and textbooks to undo saffronisation under BJP.
Babari Masjid: * Karunanidhi considers resolution of Babari Masjid dispute as prelude for removal of insecurity in Muslim mind (25 Mar). *UP C.M. Kalyan Singh reiterates vow to build Ram Janambhoomi Mandir on Babari Masjid site (27 Mar) Muslim World - Pakistan: *Pakistan bans on renaming of institutions built by named after non-Muslims before independence (31 Mar). *JIP washes the floor of Minar-e-Pakistan to 'purify' it, after PM Vajpayee's visit (24 Mar).
*Benazir Bhutto and Zardari sentenced for 6 years on corruption charges (15 Apr).
Libya: *Lockerbie suspects handed over to UN for trial (5 Apr).
Palestine: *President Arafat visits India and seeks support for UDI (9 Apr).
Malaysia: *Ex-Dy. P.M. Anwar Ibrahim gets 6 year jail on corruption charges, sentence leads to massive protest (14 Apr).
Kosovo Situation: *NATO orders air strikes against Yugoslavia (24 Mar): *GOI expresses concern over military intervention in Yugoslavia (25 Mar). CPM and CPI condemn NATO air strikes and criticise GOI for restrained reaction.
*ex-PM Gujral condemns NATO and asks for UN intervention.
*A.I. Milli Council condemns ethnic cleansig in Kosovo and calls for international action. Joint meeting of Muslim organisations convened by AIMMM calls upon GOI to change its policy and take initiative through NAM and UN for political settlement in terms of autonomy/independence for Kosovars. (See Text of Resolution)
Obituary: *A.K.A. Abdus Samad,ex-MP, G.S., IUML, 72, passes away in Chennai (11 Apr)
*Sheikh Chinna Moulana, eminent Nageshwaram player, 75, passes away in Tiruchy (13 Apr).
