Friday, April 12, 2002, Chandigarh, India
 Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

Ban on LTTE to stay
PM rules out involvement in peace talks
New Delhi, April 11
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today rejected LTTE’s plea to lift the ban on the outfit and ruled out India’s involvement in the Norwegian-brokered peace talks between the Sri Lanka government and the LTTE.

• World page: A strong chance of peace: Ranil

• Editorial: The ‘Tiger’ & his stripes

Mann flouts ban, enters Pak
Wagah, April 11
Despite a ban imposed by the Government of India on jathas to Pakistan, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, MP and President of the Akali Dal who possesses a diplomatic passport, was allowed to cross over to Pakistan while his six-member jatha was denied permission.

A jubilant Simranjit Singh Mann, Akali Dal (Amritsar) President, raises his arm in triumph as he enters Pakistan on Thursday.  — Photo Rajiv Sharma

TDP demands Modi’s removal
Cong begins ‘oust-Modi’ agitation
Hyderabad, April 11
On the eve of the BJP National Executive in Goa, pressure mounted on the saffron party with the TDP, major ally of the Vajpayee government, tonight demanding immediate removal of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, even as BJP President Jana Krishnamurthy ruled out any change of leadership in the state.
In video (28k, 56k)

Congress conclave of 14 CMs to focus on good governance
Guwahati, April 11
The contrast is hard to miss. While Ms Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition, will preside over a conclave of 14 Congress Chief Ministers in this insurgency-hit region to discuss better governance, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will be making an effort to revive the ruling BJP, which now has only three Chief Ministers, in Goa, a state due for elections in a few months.

• Nation page: BJP executive meeting today

Vigilance chief’s transfer raises eyebrows
Chandigarh, April 11
In a significant development, the Punjab Government ordered the shifting of the Chief Director of Vigilance, Mr S.V. Singh, who was promoted Director-General of Police and posted in Vigilance only last month. He has been now posted as Director-General-cum-Commandant General, Punjab Home Guards and Civil Defence.

Ease visa norms, say Afghan Hindus
New Delhi, April 11
Hindus and Sikhs living in Afghanistan have urged the Indian Government to waive all visa restrictions and have requested India to issue entry visa to all Afghan Hindu Sikhs.

18 killed as bus falls into gorge
Jammu, April 11
At least 18 passengers were killed and 20 others injured when a bus in which they were travelling fell into a gorge on the Samba-Mansar road near Majoor today. While 12 bodies have been kept in Samba police station four are in the mortuary of the local medical college.

Interest rate on EPF may be cut
New Delhi, April 11
A special meeting of the Central Board of Trustees of the Employees Provident Fund, tomorrow is expected to recommend half per cent cut in the rate of interest on EPF accumulation of employees for the current year.

Selective procurement annoys farmers Khanna, April 11 Farmers are angry as government agencies are only making selective procurement of wheat. Farmers have to wait for days to sell their wheat. Officials concerned say they have been procuring only that wheat which has a moisture level of up to 12 per cent, the specification fixed by the FCI. As labourers dry wheat, a farmer awaits the procurement of his stock in Khanna Mandi on Thursday.  — Tribune photo Karam Singh