Monday, February 24, 2003, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

Sants to gherao Parliament today
Discard negotiations
New Delhi, February 23
In a sudden development, the Dharam Sansad being organised by the VHP, today announced a gherao of Parliament tomorrow to mark the beginning of a ‘decisive battle’ for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The announcement in this regard was made by VHP’s firebrand leader Acharya Dharmendra.
In video (28k, 56k)

     Editorial:  From Ayodhya to Delhi

Prof Manjit Singh sacked
Tarlochan Singh acting Jathedar of Kesgarh Sahib
Amritsar, February 23
A day after the clash between activists of the Shiromani Khalsa Panchayat and the task force in the SGPC complex, the executive committee of the SGPC today sacked Prof Manjit Singh, Jathedar, Kesgarh Sahib, on charges of corruption.

    Declines comment

Pak scores diplomatic point
State-sponsored terror not to figure in NAM draft
Kuala Lumpur, February 23
Pakistan today scored a diplomatic point of sorts here on the eve of the two-day Non-Aligned Movement summit when the NAM’s Political Committee of senior officials decided to drop reference to “state-sponsored terrorism” from a draft document on terrorism.

  World page: Depoliticise economic ties: PM
    MALAYSIA DIARY
    First Ladies’ brainstorming session today
  Cultural centre in Malaysia soon

Blueprint ready for post-war Iraq
Washington, February 23
The USA has already finalised a blueprint for post-war Iraq envisaging the installation of a representative government, setting up of commissions to draft a new Constitution and re-establishing a judicial system.

• USA bombs Iraqi cable relay sites

• Editorial: Blix deadline

Assembly elections: campaigning ends today
New Delhi, February 23
Campaigning for the Assembly poll in Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Tripura and Meghalaya and byelection in eight Assembly constituencies spread over seven states ends tomorrow with senior leaders of the political parties making last-ditch efforts to woo the voters.

Six die in bus mishap
Nawanshahr, February 23
Six persons, including four women and a three-year-old girl were killed on the spot and 20 others were injured when a Punjab Roadways bus of the Nawanshahr depot, going to Chandigarh from Amritsar, hit a tree near Barnala Gate on the Chandigarh road at about 2.15 p.m. today.

Rain, snow hit life in Kashmir
Jammu, February 23
Life in the Kashmir valley, including the city, was hit, due to severe cold coupled with power failure, overflowing drains and damaged roads.

Sonia must apologise on beef issue: Uma Chandigarh, February 23 Giving a new twist to the alleged “smear campaign” started by the Congress against the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, in Madhya Pradesh, the star campaigner of the BJP in that state, Ms Uma Bharati, said today that “an apology or regret by the Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, could resolve the beef-eating controversy”.