Sunday, July 21, 2002, Chandigarh, India
 Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

BJP asks Cong to clear stand on Gujarat poll
EC in no hurry to conduct elections
New Delhi, July 20
BJP President M Venkaiah Naidu today ruled out snap poll in Himachal Pradesh, accused the Congress and Left parties of adopting “double standards” on the Gujarat poll and questioned the rationale behind the opposition’s demand for conducting of Assembly poll there under President’s Rule.

Bansal Cong observer for Gujarat
New Delhi, July 20
The Congress today appointed two central observers for Gujarat. Rajya Sabha member Suresh Pachouri and Lok Sabha member from Chandigarh Pawan Kumar Bansal have been named as the central observers for the coming Assembly poll in the state.

• Modi’s decision on elections not surprising
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Jammu, July 20 The JKLF chief Yasin Malik, who was released on bail today, was rearrested under the Public Safety Act. Malik had been arrested under POTA on March 25 for being a recipient of $ 1 lakh which the police had seized from two persons near Batote on March 23.

Policemen detain women activists of the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), during a demonstration in Srinagar on Saturday in protest against the massacre of 28 Hindus. — Reuters photo

Straw briefs Sinha on Pak talks
New Delhi, July 20
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw today met External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha for the second time in as many days and briefed him on his talks with Pakistan Foreign Minister Inamul Haq in Islamabad earlier in the day.
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TRIBUNE SPECIAL
Not enough pressure on Pervez
International Crisis Group report
New Delhi, July 20
The repeated refusal by the USA and Britain along with other countries to recognise Pakistan as a terrorist state has given further credence to the International Crisis Group report which stresses that the international community has not put enough pressure on Islamabad.

• Sufficient proof that Pak is terror state

• Pervez’s anti-terror efforts ‘half-hearted’

• India gives list of NRIs funding ultras to UK
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Amarinder lacks wisdom, says Chautala
SAS Nagar, July 20
Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala today reacted strongly to the decision of the Punjab Government to file a review petition in the Supreme Court on the issue of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal, saying it appeared that the Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, was not aware of facts and “lacked wisdom”.

Tangri surrenders
Ludhiana, July 20
Jagdish Tangri, president of the Shiv Sena (Rashtravadi), who was wanted in several cases, surrendered at the SSP’s residence late tonight. 

Chandigarh resident shot dead in Solan
Solan, July 20
An unidentified young man shot dead another youth, identified as Manoj Kaushal, Manager of Sector 22, Chandigarh branch of J.K. Cement, in front of Subzi Mandi on the byepass road, here today.

POWER & WATER CRISES-I Feeble monsoon throws life out of gear Chandigarh, July 20 A much-delayed and feeble start of the south-west monsoon, crippling power cuts and inadequate drinking water supply have not only thrown life out of gear, but made living conditions miserable throughout Punjab. An extensive survey by The Tribune reveals that unannounced and unending power cuts have severely affected tubewell-based drinking water supply in most towns in the state.