CHRONOLOGY

Chronology of the Month

(16 August - 15 September, 1997)

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Parliament: *Special Commemorative Session, inaugurated by Speaker P.A. Sangma adopts (21 Aug) Resolution after marathon debate which focuses on national priorities (1 Sept). Omission of 'defence of secularism' criticised by Shahabuddin (9 Sept) (See Texts)

50th Anniversary of Independence:

*Observed with fanfare on national scale.

*Muslim leaders of Freedom Movement including Abul Kalam Azad, Ajmal Khan, M.A. Ansari largely ignored in official programmes.

Vice-Presidency: *UF-Cong(I) candidate Krishna Kant elected against BJP-supported S.S. Barnala by 168 votes (16 Aug). Sworn in (21 Aug).

Political Alliances: *V.P. Singh and Kesri discuss possibility of Cong-UF tactical alliance in BJP dominated States (25 Aug). UF Convener and AP CM Naidu sees merit in 'grand alliance' with Congress, if latter agrees to be junior partner (22 Aug). SP leader and Defence Minister Mulayam Singh sees possibility of alliance with Congress (23 Aug). JD leadership remains silent and indifferent. CPI(M) acknowledges BJP as more dangerous than Congress but rejects V.P. Singh's suggestion (2 Sept).

*BJP President Advani defends tie-up with regional parties and does not rule out similar alliances in general election (24 Aug).

*BSP President Kanshi Ram rules out nation-wide alliance with BJP in general election (17 Aug) without break of present arrangement in UP

*Informal talks between JD and Samata Party fail to detach latter from BJP's embrace (2 Sept)

*R.ID President Ranjan Yadav sees alignment with Congress in general election (2 Sept).

Central Government: air of uncertainty about life of Gujral Government, Congress reportedly examines various alternatives - joining UF Government with Gujral, or staking claim for Congress-led Government or toppling Gujral government and going for eneral election. Political observers predict election by March, 1998

Congress: *President Kesri nominates A.K. Antony and Manmohan Singh to CWC (16 Aug). Appoints 5-member Committee of Senior Leaders, headed by Pranab Mukherjee to prepare Programme of Action to revive organisation (19 Aug). Opening speech in Parliament's Special Session by M. Scindia sounds like election manifesto (26 Aug). Congress holds Seminar on Role of Minorities in Freedom Movement (30 Aug). Kesri visits Sabarmati Ashram; warns Gujarat CM Vaghela; criticises UF; supports Gujral. Kesri addresses State level Worker's Conference in Patna; indicates electoral alliance with Laloo Pd. Yadav's RJD (9 Sept).

BJP: *BJP faces crisis over BSP's claim to Speakership as condition for transfer of power to BJP (3 Sept). Speaker refuses to quit (7 Sept). BJP's CM-designate supports Speaker, BJP-BSP hold talks.

*BJP organises 4-day Retreat for senior leaders and MPs on RSS model at Jhinjhola; ideological, political and organisational issues discussed with reference to next general election (30 Aug 2 Sept). * Former CM Delhi M.L. Khurana resigns from Vice-presidency (24 Aug)

*BJP demands ban on 'Christian missionaries and Muslim fundamentalists' in NE (28 Aug)

BSP: *Mayawati sets record in transferring officers, initiating political prosecutions, laying foundation stones, creating districts and tehsils during her last month as CM.

*Mayawati's denigration of Martyr Chandrashekhar Azad as a mere terrorist criticised widely.

*BSP MLA Mukhtar Ansari suspended from legislature party for criminal charges (23 Aug).

JD: *PM defends government in National Executive; Deve Gowda sounds critical note on 14-point action plan (11 Sept).

Attacks Congress in Mass Rally while PM Gujral targets BJP and communal forces (12 Sept).

RJD: *Signature campaign for Laloo Pd. release flops (20 Aug).

*Takes initiative for dialogue with BSP and indicates alignment with Congress and JMM.

*JNU dons demand annulment of membership of Lok Sabha of RJD MP Shahabuddin of Siwan (1 Sept).

Left Parties: *CPI(M) criticises UF Govt. for deviation from agreed Common Minimum Programme (23 Aug). S.G. Surjeet finds Gujral inadequate (6 Sept)

*CPI & CPI(M) react strongly to Congress version of freedom movement as presented in Calcutta session (24 Aug).

Shiv Sena: *Thackeray eschews communal orientation in independence day speech (15 Aug).

Electoral Reform: *CEC M.S. Gill proposes debarring convicted persons from electoral contest (18 Aug). PM Gujral supports EC proposal (22 Aug). EC issues order (28 Aug). Home Minister finds EC Order legally defective. Proposes commitment by all parties not to give tickets to persons with criminal background (30 Aug). EC suggests urgent legislation to bar persons with criminal record (31 Aug). Shahabuddin supports EC's Order (31 Aug). Speakers finds EC's Order unenforceable without changes in law (3 Sept). CEC calls for urgent amendment (4 Sept).

Corruption: AH Scam: *Patna H.C. asks Director CBI to explain slow pace of progress (29 Aug). Warns CBI against action against J.D. Biswas. CBI seeks Governor's sanction for prosecute ex-CM Laloo Pd. in another related case (30 Aug) Laloo's remand extended upto 19 September. Bihar Government blames A.G. for not noticing excessive withdrawals from treasuries in time.

Bitumen Scam: *CBI unable to procure relevant documents from Bihar Government for 5 months (22 Aug). Dhoti-Saree Scam: *Bihar Government cancels contract and decides to hand over investigation to CBI (26 Aug).

Liquor Scam: *Karnataka H.C. issues notice to ex-CM Deve Gowda and present CM Patel (21 Aug).

Crane Scam: *Railway Minister Paswan accused of flouting procedure in awarding contract to non-existent company (28 Aug).

Petrol Pump Scam: *Delhi H.C. cancels 70-odd allotments of petrol pumps etc. by ex-Minister Satish Sharma.

Hawala Case: *Special Court orders framing of charges against ex-Speaker Jhakar (3 Sept).

JMM Case: *Delhi H.C. upholds CBI Court's order to frame charges against ex-PM Narasimha Rao and others (12 Sept).

Tanwar Case: *Delhi H.C. asks police SIT to file status report on investigations in murder case, including probe in Kesri's arrest (17-21 Aug).

Bofors Case: *Central Government scrutinising Bofors papers crosses 60 day deadline in according permission to prosecute Committee Bill and promises to enact it by Ordinance (29 Aug). Advisory Committee headed by M.O. Farooq, MP submits the revised draft (17 Sept).

*Shahabuddin objects to high subsidy of 92 crores for 1997 Haj, because Air India has charged normal IATA fare, instead of special charter fare.

Wakf: *Central Wakf Council, formed under Wakf Act 1995, meets in Delhi (11 Sept). Wakf Minister Ramoowalia discloses that most States are yet to notify 1995 Act.

Masjids: *Delhi HC orders DDA and MCD to submit affidavits regarding unauthorised construction of Wuzukhana by Imam Jama Masjid on government land (2 Sept).

*Muslims reconstruct Masjid in Sela Ghat in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, demolished by Forest Dept.

Personal Law: *National Minorities Commission has asked the Government to accord permission to Muslims in civil or military service to keep beard (28 Aug).

*Supreme Court orders maintenance of children by father, even if living with their divorced mother (28 Aug)

*S.C. upholds right of divorcee to her jewellery and other property gifted to her during marriage (10 Sept).

Social Reform: *Shahabuddin criticises Tehrik Muslim Shaban, Hyderabad's campaign to stop Burqa-clad women from entering cinema halls and asks it to apply instead its energies for eradication of social evils (18 Aug) *Shia women perform Namaz in Imambara Asifuddaula (29 Aug)

*Controversy rages over participation of Muslim women in congregational Namaz in Masjids. Orthodox Sunni Ulema oppose women's demand. Shia and Ahl-e-Hadith support it. Shahabuddin criticised for supporting it (9 Sept)

*Shahabuddin criticised by some Sunni Ulema for calling Triple Divorce un-Islamic (10 Sept).

Objectionable Writing: *West Bengal bars "Galpo, Noy, Satti" prescribed for middle schools for imaginary depiction of Holy Prophet.

*Muslims attack Christian school in Hyderabad for blasphemy against Holy Prophet in old School textbook (26 Aug). Christian Schools observe protest strike (27 Aug). School withdraws book (27 Aug). Communal amity restored (30 Aug).

*Delhi H.C. expunges remarks against Ahmed Bukhari by trial court (10 Sept).

Electoral Roll: *BJP President Advani claims 5 million bogus voters in W. Bengal (25 Aug).

Indo-Pakistan Relations: *Pakistan opposes India's claim to permanent seat on Security Council (26 Aug). P.M. Nawaz Sharif claims advance in nuclear development programme (7 Sept).

*Former Army Chief Aslam Beg suggests downsizing of both armies (3 Sept)

*Pakistan writer Muneer Ahmad quotes former President G. Ishaq Khan on Pakistan ISI's involvement in Bombay bomb blasts (3 Sept)

Conversion: *RSS, VHP and Hindu Sants announces plan for mass conversion of Muslims to Hinduism (28 Aug)

Hindu Chauvinism: *VHP plans 23-day Ganga Yatra from 16 October (3 Sept).

*Hindu Munnani, Tamilnadu, accepts change of route for Vinayak Chaturthi procession to bypass Muslim localities (6 Sept)

Education: *NMC appoints Committee for look into non-availability of Urdu school textbooks (28 Aug).

*A.P. HC restricts admission to professional courses by minority institutions to merit list, based on competitive examination (29 Aug):

*SC upholds MCI's restriction on intake of medical colleges in Karnataka (30 Aug).

*Non-Karnataka applicants appeal to S.C. against Karnataka Rule to give priority to local candidates for professional courses (2 Sept). *Students leader Hasib Anwar's petition against expulsion by JMI admitted by Delhi H.C. (9 Sept)

Urdu: *Rich tribute paid to Firaq Gorakhpuri at Seminar in New Delhi organised by Alami Urdu Conference (28 Aug).

*National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language and State Urdu Akademis meet in Chandigarh to draw up action plan (14-15 Sept).

Employment: *Bombay H.C. directs against public slaughter of animal or display of meat (29 Aug). Butcher's Association protests.

*Varanasi powerloom industry represents to central government for adequate supply of foreign silk (27 Aug)

*Saudi Arabia lifts religious restriction on immigration for employment (28 Aug)

*PM assures retention of Arabic and Persian among Main subjects for Civil Services Examination.

Partition: *Historian Mushirul Hasan calls Partition a great tragedy (22 Aug). Shahabuddin describes Partition as 'disaster for Muslims of Sub-continent' (6 Sept).

Communal Violence: Minor communal clashes reported from Agra (25 Aug) between Muslims and Dalits, Meerut (25 Aug) over burial in Qabristan, Dadri over murder of a Muslim (31 Aug), Dhar, MP - 1 killed - during Shiva procession (2 Sept).

*In Coimbatore 2 more killed in continuing sporadic clashes (3 Sept). Clash between Muslims and municipal authorities over Idgah land in Bangalore led to police firing and took communal turn with 4 dead, many injured and much property destroyed (9 Sept).

*Union Cabinet decides to write off loans upto 50,000 and interest thereon to November 1984 anti-Sikh Riot Victims (10 Sept).

Heritage: *SC orders UP Government to recover stolen Kalash of Dargah Saleem Chishti in Fatehpur Sikri within 4 weeks or hand over case to CBI (28 Aug).

Muslim Organisations: *A.I. Momin Conference (Rauf Ansari) decides to contest election (24 Aug)

Other Minorities: *SGPC asks PM to include Amritsar in British Queen's programme. Some Sikh leaders demand return of Kohinoor and apology for Jalianwala Massacre (19 Aug).

Muslim World: *Turkish National Assembly legislates to restrict religious education (17 Aug).

*Iran President nominates a lady as one of 5 Vice-Presidents (24 Aug).

*Pakistan contradicts report about recognition of Israel (29 Aug).

*Saifuddin Soz, Minister of Environment, asks OIC not to ignore Muslim Indians.

*Abdullah Bukhari condemns ill-treatment of visa applicants by Pakistan H.C. in New Delhi (26 Aug).

Commemoration: *Government releases commemorative stamp on Swami Prabhupada, founder of ISKCON (6 Sept).

*90th birthday of Hakim Abdul Hameed, founder of Jamia Hamdard, observed in Delhi (14 Sept).

Obituary: *Eminent scholar and divine Siddiq Ahmed Banwai, passes away in Lucknow. Rich tribute paid by MJUH, AIMC, AIIO and at Darul Uloom Deoband (28 Aug).

*Freedom Fighter and CPI leader M. Farooqui, 77, passes away in Delhi (3 Sept). President, PM and political leaders pay tribute.

*K. Moideen Kutty Haji, ex-Speaker, Kerala Assembly, 79, passes away in Delhi (12 Sept).retired senior official G.K. Arora and S.K. Bhatnagar.

* Director CBI goes to Switzerland for second set of Bofors documents.

Criminalisation: *S.C. orders Union to file progress report on follow-up action in Vohra Report (21 Aug).

Terrorism: *Jain Commission submits interim report on Rajiv Gandhi's assassination (28 Aug). Congress asks government to call Special Session of Parliament to table report.

*MCC-CPI(ML) clash in Bihar leads to massacre; government unable to intervene (7 Sept).

Reservation: *Madras H.C. rules against reservation in Class I posts for SC/ST (21 Aug)

*SC upholds reservation for Uttarakhand people in State employment and education (21 Aug)

*NCM recommends deletion of religious qualification in reservation for SC/ST.

NC for SC/ST issues show-cause notice to IIT's for non-reservation in admission (30 Aug).

*Mulayam Singh supports reservation for Muslims (1 Sept) National Symbols: *Shahabuddin supports singing of Vande Mataram but without coercion or condition by anti-Muslim forces (13 Sept)

Language Policy: *HRD Minister Bommai calls for measures to strengthen teaching of Sanskrit (18 Aug)

*Hindi Day observed with Dharna and protest rally, several leaders court arrest against compulsory use of English in day-to-day life (14 Sept).

Human Rights: *SC Judge A.S. Anand calls upon courts to protect and enforce human rights (25 Aug).

Small States: *Telengana leaders submit memorandum to President, PM and major parties (22 Aug)

Nuclear Policy: *PM Gujral reiterates keeping nuclear option open (8 Sept).

Muslim Politics: *Muslim MP's and ex-MP's plan Meet to review status of Muslims and suggest action plan. Sponsors include MP's of all parties as well as ex-MP's Shahabuddin, S.A. Hashmi and M. Afzal (7 Sept).

*IUML and AIMIM and AIMM form United Muslim Front; oppose installation of Kalyan Singh as CM UP and reiterate common demands.

KASHMIR SITUATION

Political Developments: *C.M. Abdullah expresses concern at persistent violation of human rights by security forces (21 Aug) and suggests constitution of a committee to devise effective mechanism. *CM accuses elements in MHA of destabilising his government (28 Aug). *CM decides not to recruit ex-militants into State police (28 Aug).

*Army insists on continued special powers for anti-insurgency operations (1 Sept).

*CM addresses public on Sheikh Abdullah's death anniversary and reiterates demand for autonomy, short of secession. APHC's call for Hartal receives partial response (8 Sept).

*APHC leaders stage dharna against human rights violation; arrested (11 Sept)

*CBI probes into FCRA cases against top APHC leaders (14 Sept). APHC Chairman Farooq admits receipt of funds from OIC.

*Farooq expresses readiness for unconditional talks with Centre, promises initiative for return of Pandits at right time (15 Sept).

Insurgency: *Continues in a low key throughout the period. * Holy mace reaches Amarnath without any incident (18 Aug). Indo-Pakistan Clashı, *Exchange of fire across LOC in Uri sector (24 Aug). India elaims Pakistani toll at 80. Defence Minister Yadav warns Pakistan of fitting reply (25 Aug). Pakistan lodges protest with UN observers (28 Aug). India rejects US offer of good offices (28 Aug)

*President Leghari accuses India of ignoring Pakistan's constructive proposals and denies desire for confrontation (19 Aug).

*Pakistan rejects India's claim of sovereignty over state (21 Aug)

*Pakistan Commerce Minister rejects free trade with or power supply to India till Kashmir dispute is resolved (28 Aug).

*Third round of Indo-Pakistan Talks at Foreign Secretaries' level begins. Differences over constituting Joint Working Group on Kashmir casts ominous shadow (15 Sept). India denies

backtracking.

*Pakistan reported floats new political forum J&K Solidarity Front to replace APHC to whip up anti-Indian sentiments in Valley

Developments in Pakistan: *Lathi charge on pro-independence demonstrators in POK (20 Aug).

*Former PM Benazir Bhutto's plea of independence for Kashmir criticised as treason by Pakistan Minister Hashmi (23 Aug)

*Asghar Khan of Tehrik-e-Istiqlal calls on Pakistan to disengage itself and leave problem to Kashmiris (23 Aug).

*Pakistan questions Supreme Court jurisdiction over Northern Areas (4 Sept).

International Developments: USA: *India rejects US move on Camp David type talks between India and Pakistan (18 Aug). US Embassy denies any proposal for trilateral meeting (19 Aug). C.M. Abdullah rejects US mediation (20 Aug). Pakistan seeks clarification (31 Aug). US denies mediatory role (6 Sept). Cong(I) advises P.M. Gujral against making Kashmir trilateral issue during visit to USA (14 Sept).

UN: *UN SG omits Kashmir issue in Annual Report to UNGA (12 Sept).

Amnesty International: *Appeals to "armed opposition groups' to respect human rights.

UK: *Home rule for Scotland with parliament described in India as short of autonomy enjoyed by States in Indian Union (12 Sept).

China: *Dalai Lama sees autonomy for Tibet as best solution (12 Sept).

BABARI MASJID

*BJP leader Uma Bharti warns political parties of demolition of Idgah at Mathura and Masjid at Varanasi, if they intervene (16 Aug)

*Congress leader M. Scindia considers Narasimha Rao Government and not Congress to blame for demolition and asks Congress leaders then in Government to apologise (20 Aug).

*Congress leader Arjun Singh holds Narasimha Rao Government responsible because it did not dismiss Kalyan Singh Government before 6 December (31 Aug).

*Special CBI Court orders framing of charges against 27 accused in the Demolition Case filed by CBI, including Advani, Kalyan Singh, Joshi, Katiyar, Thackeray and Singhal on finding evidence on record adequate to substantiate charges under IPC Section 120(B), 147, 153A, 153B, 295, 295A, 505 (9 Sept). JD Left parties, BMMCC, AIBMAC, AIMC, JUH and AIIO hail order. RSS sees link between Order and Election Commission's decision to bar persons accused of criminal offences (11 Sept).

OTHER ISSUES OF CONCERN

Hai: *Shahabuddin asks Government not to extend further term of present Haj Committee in view of serious charges against it and its chairman and reconstitute the Committee, pending enactment of proposed Haj Committee Act. *Government forms an Advisory Committee of MP's and ex-MP's to review draft Haj.