Newsreel 23.02.03

• DHAR in Madhya Pradesh burns as Sangh Parivar outfit Hindu Jagran Manch (HJM) organises violent protests demanding the opening up of ...

• DHAR in Madhya Pradesh burns as Sangh Parivar outfit Hindu Jagran Manch (HJM) organises violent protests demanding the opening up of the 11th century structure at Bhojshala for Hindus. The Archeological Survey of India-listed site hitherto had been open for Muslims for Friday prayers while Hindus were allowed to perform pujas on every Basant Panchami day. As Chief Minister Digvijay Singh puts his foot down and the state police foils attempts by HJM activists to storm into the place, violence erupts in the district. Two bandhs called by the outfit see at least four perish, in police firing and mob clashes.

• TALK polls, talk Ayodhya. As four states gear up for Assembly polls, the decades-old issue of building a temple in Ayodhya hits the national mainstream once again. A day before the Supreme Court’s February 21-hearing on the Government’s petition regarding the Ayodhya issue, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, addressing a BJP election rally in Himachal Pradesh, declares he is ‘‘confident’’ that all historical and other evidence would establish beyond doubt that a temple once existed (where Babri Masjid had stood). He adds that in case this did not happen, ‘‘the court verdict will be final.’’ However, the apex court fixes March 6 for hearing of the application filed by the Union government seeking vacation of its interim order banning all kinds of religious activities in the 67-acre acquired land around the disputed structure.

NEXT WEEK

• Trade union rally of Left-affiliated associations against the Union disinvestment policy on Feb 26 in Delhi

Story continues below this ad

• In World Cup 2003, India takes on England in Kingsmead, Durban, on Feb 26 and Pakistan on SuperSport Park, Centurion, on March 1

• FINALLY, Dubai grants India some big gains in the war against home-grown terror. Underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s younger brother Iqbal Kaskar and Ejaz Pathan, a main accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, are flown into Mumbai after being deported from Dubai. Two separate courts promptly send the duo to judicial custody. The deportations are regarded as a minor success for India, which has been pressurising Dubai ever since more than 150 underworld suspects were detained after the killing of Dawood aide Sharad Shetty in the Emirate on January 19. The two men were among those caught in the sweeps.

• THE Centre finally unveils its new Kashmir plan with a retired bureaucrat N N Vohra being handpicked as its interlocutor for further peace talks. In J-K, Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed welcomes the move terming it as ‘‘very good news’’. Vohra, former Union Home secretary, is expected to do the spade work for bringing disgruntled Kashmiri groups to the negotiating table. Observers note that the Centre seems to be trying the Nagaland experiment in Kashmir, where a former Home secretary K Padmanabhiah had brought the rebels to talk with the Centre after protracted efforts.

• IN two separate air crashes, five top officers of Pakistan Air Force including its chief and 302 of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards perish. The Pakistan Air Chief Marshal Mushaf Ali Mir, his wife and two air vice marshals are among 17 people killed in a plane crash in North Western Pakistan.

Story continues below this ad

• THE week sees some of the worst over-reaction from Indian cricket fans in a long time. The team’s meek submission to the mighty Australians didn’t go down well with fans at home, and mock funerals and effigy burnings take place across the country. Of course, the smiles return after India’s emphatic win over Zimbabwe but it will be wishful thinking to hope that threats and effigy burning will not haunt Indian cricket anymore. In the meantime, co-hosts South Africa is also going through a rough patch after their defeat from the hands of New Zealand. As demands for the head of captain Shaun Pollock rise, the team gets a breather as the West Indies-Bangladesh match is rained out.

• IN a move which may further liberalise the commodities market and prevent wide price fluctuations, the government allows futures trading in 54 commodities including gold, silver, wheat, rice, oilseeds and pulses. Restrictions placed on establishment of forward contracts in these commodities are also removed and green signal is given to the setting up of futures exchanges.