M A I N   N E W S

Beware of destabilising forces: President

NEW DELHI, July 12 (PTI) — President K.R. Narayanan today cautioned against “fissiparous and disharmonising forces” which were promoting the cult of violence and asked the Governors to make concerted efforts to contain these disturbing trends.

“The Governors should therefore act as harmonising influence and play a crucial role in upholding India’s traditional tolerant society,” he said, inaugurating a two-day conference of governors and Lt-Governors at Rashtrapati Bhavan here.

Participating in the deliberations, several Governors stressed on the need for coordinated efforts between the states and the Centre to tackle problems like cross-border terrorism which included, drug trafficking, infiltration and spread of religious fundamentalism. The conference is being attended by 25 Governors, three Lt-Governors, Vice-President Krishan Kant, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and his Cabinet colleagues.

2 die in fresh Tonk clashes

JAIPUR, July 12 (PTI) — Two persons were killed and three injured today in a fresh bout of violence in Rajasthan’s Tonk district taking the death toll in communal clashes since Monday to 12 even as indefinite curfew remained in force in Tonk and Malpura towns, the police said.

A woman was killed and three children were injured by a mob at Tordi village 10 km from the troubled Malpura, the police said, adding that a body of a person was found in the same village.

DGP Amitabh Gupta said the situation in the curfew-bound areas was tense but under control. Eight persons were killed in communal violence in Malpura on Monday while two bodies were found yesterday.

Tonk and Jhalwar districts today observed a shutdown in response to a bandh call given by the BJP’s Rajasthan unit which demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot for “failing” to maintain law and order.