Sunday, January 9, 2000, Chandigarh, India

Muslims pray on one of the minarets of the Jama Masjid
in New Delhi on the occasion of Id-ul-fitr on Saturday.
— AFP photo

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Gahlawat dropped from Haryana Cabinet
4 MLAs expelled from INLD
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — In what may be an indication of the shape of things to come, the Haryana Social Welfare Minister, Ms Krishna Gahlawat, and four ruling Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) legislators were today expelled from the party for six years for anti-party activities.

Jathedar rejects resignations
AMRITSAR, Jan 8 — Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Puran Singh today rejected the resignations of the three pro-Nanakshahi calendar members who quit the seven-member panel yesterday in protest against the decision of three of the committee members outrightly rejecting the calendar.

Fresh snow ends dry spell in J&K, HP
CHANDIGARH, Jan 8 — The entire Ladakh region in Jammu and Kashmir and adjoining tribal belt in north of Himachal Pradesh had fresh spells of welcome snowfall and rain for the second day today, ending a prolonged dry spell, while the rest of north-west India reeled under intense cold wave conditions coupled with dense fog.

VHP firm on building temple
RAMESWARAM, Jan 8 — Vishwa Hindu Parishad Secretary General Praveen Tokadia today declared that whatever be the verdict of the court, the Hindu society would go ahead with the construction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya.

Pakistan restrains Azhar
ISLAMABAD, Jan 8 — Evidently buckling under pressure from the USA, the Pakistan Ministry of Interior has asked Maulana Masood Azhar, one of the three prisoners released by India in exchange of the hostages of the Indian airliner, to desist from making outbursts against foreign countries, including the USA.

Will Karmapa get political asylum? MEA officials dash to Dharamsala DHARAMSALA, Jan 8 — After managing a safe escape to McLeodganj from Chinese-occupied Tibet, it is now the question of getting political asylum for the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorjee, from the Indian Government which is weighing heavily on the minds of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile.		Ogyen Trinley Dorjee
Rumtek disowns Karmapa NEW DELHI, Jan 8 — The escape of Karmapa Lama Urgyen Trinley from Tibet into India has triggered a controversy in Buddhist circles with the regent of Sikkim’s influential Rumtek monastery disowning the 14-year-old religious leader and describing the episode as a “political ploy”. ON WORLD PAGE: China tries to explain away Buddhist leader’s flight Chinese repression ‘not working’