PM woos Russian businessmen

Moscow, December 5 With people-to-people contact between India and Russia on the wane and bilateral trade between the two far below expectations, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today went all-out to sell India as an attractive business, academic and creative destination to the new generation of Russians.

Rector of Moscow State University (MGU) Viktor Sadovnichy (right) awards Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with an Honorary Doctorate at MGU on Monday. — PTI photo

Punjab page: Croatia woos Punjab businessmen

Natwar meets Sonia, offers to quit
To hand over resignation on PM’s return
New Delhi, December 5
A day after his removal from the Congress Steering Committee, Union Minister Natwar Singh, who has been in the thick of Volcker controversy, tonight offered to resign, Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma said.

Volcker report rocks Parliament for third day
New Delhi, December 5
The political fire sparked off by the Volcker report continued to rage unabated with both Houses of Parliament adjourning with the Opposition storming the proceedings today.

Government defers all-party meeting
Editorial: Unwanted minister
Nation page: PM informed of Natwar’s ouster: Cong
In video: Natwar removed from Congress Steering Committee. (28k, 56k)

Congress making Natwar scapegoat: Advani
New Delhi, December 5
Accusing the Congress of making Mr Natwar Singh a “scapegoat” to “save its skin” in the oil-for-food scam, leader of the Opposition L K Advani today demanded that the ruling party must apply same yardstick and remove Ms Sonia Gandhi as Chairperson of the National Advisory Council (NAC).

Uma Bharati expelled from BJP
New Delhi, December 5
One of the most vocal and prominent Hindutva leaders of the BJP, Ms Uma Bharati, was today expelled from the primary membership of the party for indiscipline and anti-party activities.

Uma loyalist among ministers
Bhopal, December 5
Mr Anup Mishra is lucky to have his cake and eat it. As a Cabinet Minister in the Babulal Gaur government, he was in the forefront, along with another Cabinet Minister Gauri Shankar Shejwar, in carrying out the “remove Gaur and bring Uma Bharati back” campaign.

Special article: Congress, BJP in a bind

Kidney missing, confirms PGI
Panipat, December 5
A committee of doctors constituted at the PGI, Rohtak, has confirmed that the left kidney of Omla Malik is “missing”. She was operated upon at Panipat-based Geeta Nursing Home in 2003 in which Dr S.N. Gupta had allegedly removed her kidney.

Communal Violence Prevention Bill introduced
New Delhi, December 5
Government today introduced a Bill in the Rajya Sabha to provide more teeth to both Centre and States to prevent and control communal violence. The Bill, however, does not have the provision for direct intervention of the Central government in the event of communal violence in any state. 

SC directive on poll rules for student unions
New Delhi, December 5
In order to hold elections to student unions in universities across the country in an orderly and transparent manner, the Supreme Court today issued directions for setting up of a committee under a former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) to lay down rules and guidelines for the elections.

Court reprieve for Lalu
Patna, December 5
In what could be viewed as a reprieve for RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, the Patna High Court today granted him regular bail in connection with the disproportionate asset case against him, currently under probe by the CBI.

Amritsar-Lahore bus from Dec 23 Chandigarh, December 5 The much awaited Amritsar-Lahore bus service is finally scheduled to start from December 23 with the first bus coming in from Lahore on that day while the first bus from Amritsar will depart on December 27. The Punjab Government will be requesting the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, to flag off the Indian bus from Amritsar. Punjab page: Amritsar to have special trade visa counter