Tuesday, May 23, 2006, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

2 quit PM’s knowledge panel
Object to quota move
New Delhi, May 22
Objecting to the government’s proposal of implementing 27 per cent reservation for OBCs, two members of the National Knowledge Commission, Pratap Bhanu Mehta and Andre Beteille, today sent in their resignations to the Prime Minister.

Talks, “dirty tactics” can’t go together: BJP
Himachal page: Striking doctors run parallel OPDs
Ludhiana page: Medicos’ anti-quota stir gathers steam
Nation page: And now govt faces pro-quota ultimatum

Tax scare leaves Sensex swinging

Mumbai, May 22 Media reports about the Income Tax Department out to levy maximum taxes on the broking community sent the bourses on a wild swing today.  In video (28k, 56k) Editorial: Sensex shocks Stock dealers watch share prices plunge on their monitors in Mumbai. — AFP photo

Blasts rock Srinagar

Srinagar, May 22 Even as security forces are on a high alert ahead of the roundtable conference, at least 23 persons, including four police and four security personnel, were injured in three grenade explosions here today.

Paramilitary troopers block the road leading to the conference centre overlooking the famous Dal Lake in Srinagar on Monday. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is scheduled to arrive in Srinagar on May 24 for two days of roundtable talks — AFP photo Editorial: Terror strikes again J&K page: Security blanket for PM’s visit

Hurriyat to skip roundtable
Srinagar, May 22
The moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference here today announced its “unanimous” decision not to attend the two-day second roundtable conference to be presided over by the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, here from Wednesday.

Troop deployment by Pak illegal,  say PoK leaders
New Delhi, May 22
Leaders of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, who are here for the first time after participating in a seminar, have sought to turn the spotlight on Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region, and blamed both India and Pakistan for the continued neglect of the region.

Accused officer legal adviser in own case?
Chandigarh, May 22
The Army has convened a court of inquiry (CoI) into the alleged molestation of a lady officer by her superior officer at Headquarters, 16 Corps, in Nagrota. The CoI, ordered by the General Officer Commanding, 16 Corps, is being headed by Brig S.B.S Choudhary, Deputy Director, Ordnance Services, 16 Corps, and includes a Colonel and a Lieutenant Colonel as members.

SP alleges Rs 9,000-cr scam in BALCO disinvestment
New Delhi, May 22
The UPA government found itself on the back foot today when the Samajwadi Party, along with Opposition benches, said corruption, price rise and suicides by farmers were the major “achievements” of the government in two years.

NRI divorces wife in US court, she fights back Chandigarh, May 22 A Hoshiarpur-based woman, whose US-based husband had divorced her by allegedly misleading a US court, has successfully convinced the US court to reopen the divorce case as she was kept in the dark by her husband about the proceedings. A file photo of Ms Dalvir Kaur and her US-based husband.