S P O T L I G H T

Union Minister for Civil Aviation Shahnawaz Hussain presenting Dayawati Modi Award-2001 to Asha Bhosle in New Delhi on Saturday. — PTI photo

Dayawati Modi Award for Asha
Delhi, November 17
Eminent singer Asha Bhosle was today conferred the Dayawati Modi Award-2001 for promoting Indian art and culture and the education related to their uplift. 
The award carries a cash amount of Rs 2.51, a silver shield and a scroll of honour. Civil Aviation Minister Shahnawaz Hussain presented the award to the famous singer at a function here. He lauded her role in promoting Indian music, art, culture and related education. UNI

Sonia meets Vajpayee
New Delhi, November 17
Congress President Sonia Gandhi met Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee this evening and discussed the anti-terrorism ordinance. Party sources said at the meeting on the invitation of the Prime Minister, Gandhi made it clear that the Congress was opposed to the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance (POTO) as several of its provisions were liable to be misused by the police. She also told the Prime Minister that in the first place the ordinance should not have been “imposed” and made a fait accompli for political parties. Every provision of the ordinance needed to be gone through with a fine tooth comb, Gandhi said. PTI

200 Hindus embrace Buddhism
Bodhgaya, November 17
Nearly 200 Hindus, mostly Dalits, embraced Buddhism at the Mahabodhi temple here today. They marched in a procession from the office of Akhil Bhartiya Bhikshu Mahasangh (ABBM) to the Mahabhodhi temple, the highest seat of Buddhist religion, where they received diksha (baptism) from Bhante Prajyasheel, former secretary of the temple management committee, at a low key ceremony. PTI

5 women killed in temple stampede
Bhopal, November 17
At least five women were killed and nearly two dozen devotees injured today in a stampede triggered by rumours of a fire at the Sharda temple of Mehar in Satna district, official sources said. Unconfirmed reports, however, put the toll at 10. The stampede broke out along the stairs of the famous temple located on a hillock. Nearly 300 devotees were trekking up the stairs to offer prayer in the temple. UNI

2 Muslim teachers held
Chittagong, November 17
The police today arrested two Muslim teachers and are looking for two more after the Hindu Principal of a private college was murdered in this southeastern Bangladesh city. The police said the two were arrested at their homes in connection with the yesterday’s murder of Gopal Krishna Muhuri, (60), head of the private Nazirhat College. Investigators said they were attempting to establish a motive for the murder of Muhuri. Home Minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury has vowed to punish the killers of the college principal whose blood-soaked body was pictured sitting in a sofa at his home in today’s newspapers. AFP

RSS campaign
Raigarh, November 17
The RSS would launch a week-long awareness campaign all over the country from December 1 to draw attention towards the growing atrocities on Hindus in neighbouring Bangladesh after the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Ms Khaleda Zia, came to power. A decision to this effect was taken today at a closed-door meeting on the concluding day of the four-day All-India Annual Pratinidhi Sabha, held in neighbouring Jashpur town, a RSS spokesman said. PTI