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'BSF's main task is to man country's frontiers'
The decision to phase out Border Security Force (BSF) from counter-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir was being taken to ensure that it faces no shortage in manning the frontiers of the country, the main task it is entrusted with, director general of BSF Ajai Raj Sharma said on January 29.

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NATIONAL
'Cabinet reshuffle was part of a larger exercise'
New Delhi: The BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) on January 30 said the Union Cabinet reshuffle and revamp of the organisation were part of a larger exercise of midterm appraisal, corrective course and chalking out of a strategy to help NDA (National Democratic Alliance) secure two-thirds majority in the 2004 Lok Sabha polls.

'Bollywood has a role to bring India, Pak closer'
New Delhi: Giving a Bollywood touch, new Minister of State for External Affairs Vinod Khanna on January 30 said the film industry has a role to play in bringing India and Pakistan closer and favoured reciprocal bus diplomacy by President Pervez Musharraf to end the current stalemate.

'Telegraph' pulled up for showing woman's bareback
New Delhi: Taking to task 'The Telegraph' newspaper for showing the bareback of a woman, the Press Council of India on January 30 asked media to "realise" its responsibilities in curbing commercial exploitation of women.

Reforms should be accompanied with tech: Jaitley
New Delhi: Arun Jaitley on January 30 took over as Law and Commerce and Industry Minister and asserted that reforms should be accompanied by modern technology, especially in fields such as Intellectual Property Rights, IT and administration of justice.

Terrorist allowed to defend in Par attack case
New Delhi: Mohd Afzal, a militant of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfit, sentenced to death by a Special POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) court in the Parliament attack case, was on January 30 allowed by the Delhi High Court to argue his defence against the award.

Mahajan appointed BJP gen secy, official spokesman
New Delhi: Pramod Mahajan, who quit the Vajpayee government on January 29, was appointed BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) general secretary and its official spokesman.

Naik for duty cut on petrol-diesel, nil on LPG
New Delhi: Petroleum Minister Ram Naik on January 30 sought excise duty cut on petroleum products to check adverse impact of excessive volatality in international crude oil prices on domestic prices.

Gap between rich and poor has widened: Sonia
New Delhi: Launching a frontal attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA (National Democratic Alliance) government, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on January 30 said poverty, unemployment and corruption have mounted during the last four years and the gap between rich and poor has widened.

Blackwill, Advani discuss Iraq, other issues
New Delhi: US Ambassador Robert Blackwill on January 30 met Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani and is understood to have discussed Iraq besides bilateral matters.

I did not insist on law ministry: Krishnamurthy
New Delhi: Former Law Minister K Jana Krishnamurthy on January 30 said it was not correct to say that he insisted on retaining Law Ministry before resigning on January 29, but he would not disclose the reasons why he did not accept Prime Minister's offer of some other portfolio.

Focus on terror during Advani's Thai, Singapore visit
New Delhi: India will hold wide-ranging talks with Thailand and Singapore on the fight against terrorism, ways to further strengthen economic co-operation and issues relating to Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) during the six-day visit of Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani as part of the 'Look East' policy.

Kalam, top dignitaries pay homage to Mahatma
New Delhi: President A P J Abdul Kalam, Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee visited Rajghat on January 30 morning and paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his 55th death anniversary.

No need to change provisions of POTA: Jaitley
New Delhi: Brushing aside the controversy over alleged political misuse of Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) in the case of Uttar Pradesh Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Raja Bhaiya, new Law Minister Arun Jaitley on January 30 categorically said there was no need to change any provision of POTA.

Assembly poll process in 4 states begins tomorrow
New Delhi: Election process in Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura will be set in motion on January 31, when the Election Commission issues notification for the February 26 polls.

Shourie warns against predatory prices in telecom
New Delhi: The new Communications and Information Technology (IT) Minister Arun Shourie on January 30 cautioned against any "predatory" prices in the telecom sector and said he was fully committed to a transparent mechanism and government's role as a facilitator.

KASHMIR
Heavy snowfall in JK; Srinagar-Jammu highway closed
Srinagar: Heavy snowfall and rains lashed Jammu and Kashmir on January 30 leading to closure of Jammu-Srinagar National highway, cutting off the Valley from the rest of the country and stranding a number of passengers.

NORTH
Ayodhya row: VHP warns of drastic steps by saints
Kanpur: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on January 30 warned of "drastic steps by the saints" if the Centre failed to hand over the disputed land in Ayodhya to the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas before the deadline set by it on February 22.

Amritsar bound Shatabdi stopped after bomb call
New Delhi: The Delhi-Amritsar Shatabdi Express has been stopped and is being searched in the Azadpur area in North Delhi following receipt of a call this evening that a bomb has been planted in the train.

PM's security breached again, motorcyclist held
New Delhi: Security of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee was breached for the second time today in as many days when a motorcycle almost rammed into the VVIP's car cavalcade near Nizamuddin in South Delhi.

HP Governor dissolves Assembly on govt advice
Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh Assembly was on January 29 dissolved by Governor Suraj Bhan on the recommendation of the state Cabinet to avoid a close call for a Constitutional crisis arising out of the obligation to hold two sessions of the House within a six-month interregnum.

SOUTH
Shourie defends decision to privatise HPCL, BPCL
Chennai: Union Minister for Communications, Information Technology and Disinvestment Arun Shourie on January 30 defended the Centre's recent decision to privatise oil PSUs (public sector undertakings) Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) and said it would not affect the people in any way.

Only loss-making PSUs must be divested: ONGC
Kochi: The Oil and Natural Gas Commission chairman Subir Raha on January 30 said he favoured disinvestment only in loss-making public sector undertakings (PSUs) and not in those making profits.

'TRAI order a rude shock to BSNL subscribers'
Coimbatore: Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) Coimbatore chapter on January 30 expressed concern over the tariff revision and inter-connect charges for all type of phone services.

Maran undergoes heart valve replacement surgery
Chennai: Union Minister Murasoli Maran, who is under treatment in the intensive medical care unit of the Methodist Hospital in Houston, has undergone a heart surgery where the Mitral valve was replaced some months ago.

Karnataka STF intensifies hunt for Veerapan gang
Bangalore: The Karnataka Special Task Force (STF) has intensified its hunt in Ponnachi forest area on the Karnataka � Tamil Nadu border, following reports about movement of the Veerappan gang, official sources said.

Central
Lodhi set to join Cong, rules out reconciliation
Tikamgarh: Suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) in Madhya Pradesh Assembly Swami Prasad Lodhi on January 30 said he had been left with no alternative but to join Congress.

EAST
LF calls for restructuring of Centre-state ties
Kolkata: Left Front partners on January 30 took stock of the financial crisis in West Bengal and called for restructuring of Centre-state relations to do away with "Centre's economic deprivations towards the state".

One killed, 5 hurt as train runs over trespassers
Kolkata: One person was killed and five others, including two children, were critically injured when they were knocked down by a local train between Sealdah and Park Circus stations sparking off mob violence that stalled train movement for five hours in Sealdah south section on January 30.

WEST
Cops seek deportation of Ghatkopar blast accused
Mumbai: The city police have sought deportation of the alleged Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant Abu Hamza from Dubai, who is the brain behind the Ghatkopar bomb blast of December 2

National crisis likely if temple is not built: VHP
Ahmedabad: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on January 30 warned that the prevailing impasse with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya was likely to lead to a "severe national crisis" in case of non-acceptance of the former's demand even after the 'dharam sansad' to be held in New Delhi on February 24.

Uddhav Thackeray is executive president of Shiv Sena
Mumbai: Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray on January 30 retained the post of party chief in the organisational polls held at Mahableshwar hill station in Maharashtra.

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