Muslims protest against UP Bill
Plea to President to withhold assent
NEW DELHI, April 21 — Thousands of Muslims today protested against the UP Regulation of Public Religious Buildings and Places Bill and appealed to President K.R. Narayanan not to give his assent to the legislation aimed at “destroying the secular fabric of the country”.

A man tries to discipline tens of thousands of Muslims attending a rally in New Delhi on Friday. The rally was held to protest against the proposed Regulation of Religious Places Bill. — AFP

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In Windows today:

Ranbir Singh recounts the history and tradition of a unique village in Haryana in his write-up: The khaas baat about Farmana Khaas

Clowning is no joke writes Raja Jaikrishan

Plus other regular features and articles

CTBT ratified by Duma
MOSCOW, April 21 — Russia’s lower House of Parliament today ratified the global nuclear test ban, giving President-elect Vladimir Putin a moral boost ahead of planned arms talks in the USA next week.

Russia leases AWACS to India
NEW DELHI, April 21 — Russia has leased to India an airborne early warning and control system for 40 days to check ground installations, including radars and the response time of the Indian Air Force fighter fleet.

Attiya Inayatullah, right, organiser of the Human Rights convention, helps Pakistan's Chief Executive Gen. Pervez Musharraf to fill glass of water during the two-day convention on human rights and human dignity, in Islamabad on Friday. The Pakistan's Army ruler Gen. Musharraf promised to tackle the nation's grim human rights record, vowing to end child labour, promote women's rights and try to halt abuses of a controversial blasphemy laws. — AP/PTI

Decide on women quota: EC
NEW DELHI, April 21 — With uncertainty still looming large on the fate of Women’s Reservation Bill, the Election Commission today suggested that political parties put up a minimum agreed percentage of women candidates in Assembly and Parliamentary elections to enjoy recognition and privileges.

Dole to prevent exodus
Kutch, Rajasthan in drought grip
NEW DELHI, April 21 — Reeling under an acute scarcity of water and fodder, cattle in drought-hit areas of Gujarat’s Kutch area have begun migrating, even as the authorities in the state and neighbouring Rajasthan doled out cash and food for work to prevent an exodus of people from the affected villages.

Businessman shot, doctor manhandled
KAITHAL, April 21 — Ramesh Miglani (55), a local businessman, was shot dead today near his shop opposite the main post office by three motor cycle-borne youths. In the ensuing incidents a doctor of the local Civil Hospital was manhandled and the furniture overturned in the emergency ward by a crowd which was protesting against the incident. The town observed a partial bandh following the incident.