Cong squabbles over Rao ashes

Dehra Dun: Congress workers in Uttaranchal got into a tug of war over former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao?s ashes that were brought for immersion in the Ganga on Tuesday, reports our correspondent.

Although the ashes were to be immersed at Hardwar, one section of party workers changed the venue to Rishikesh. When chief minister N.D. Tiwari found out, he directed officials to bring the urn to Hardwar.

By this time, half the ashes had already been immersed in Rishikesh. Tiwari later immersed the rest of the ashes at Har ki Pauri in Hardwar.

The incident led to much acrimony in the state Congress, with some leaders claiming that those who had immersed the ashes in Rishikesh had no right to do so as they had been suspended from the Congress.

Rao?s two sons, who had accompanied the urn to the state, remained silent spectators to the fight.

The state Congress is now trying to downplay the incident, saying it had nothing to do with the squabbles in the party unit. But sources said the party high command in Delhi has contacted some leaders in Dehra Dun to inquire about the incident.

Mulayam seethes at letter

Lucknow (PTI): Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, taking strong exception to the circulation of an unsigned letter that levelled against him serious charges involving a woman, has promised to take action against the ?mischief makers?.

?A slanderous campaign has been launched against me through a defamatory letter. Some uncultured and unprincipled people have launched a character assassination campaign by involving a lady officer and they will be exposed,? he told reporters.

?I would have given a befitting reply had those sending such a letter put their names to it but it is unethical and unprincipled to name a woman in it,? he said, adding that he had faced similar campaigns in the past.

He said jealousy over the success and popularity of the Samajwadi Party might be the reason behind the campaign. The development of the state as well as improvement in the financial condition had unnerved his detractors and they were indulging in such tactics, he added.

Trafficking rap on India

Washington (PTI): The Indian government has shown ?little progress? in addressing the problem of human trafficking because of lack of proper coordination between various implementing agencies, the US state department has said.

The appointment of the secretary of the department of women and child development as chairperson of the anti-trafficking central advisory committee has improved efforts to control trafficking, with the number of convictions in trafficking-related cases increasing in New Delhi.

Teachers kidnap

Muzaffarnagar (PTI): A woman was kidnapped allegedly by two schoolteachers from Rohana Kurd here. Priti Tyagi?s husband Arvind complained that the teachers kidnapped her while he was away from home, police sources said.

Bakery case

Mumbai (PTI): Hearing in the retrial of the Best Bakery case was deferred to January 10 as prime witness Zahira Sheikh did not turn up for recording evidence. The prosecutor informed judge Abhay Thipsey that Zahira was unable to attend the proceedings as she ?was unwell.

China plan

Jammu: India and China may launch a joint exercise against militancy in the two countries, reports our correspondent. ?We have mooted this idea with China and their initial response was full of warmth. They hailed it as a good idea and promised to look into it,? said army chief General N.C. Vij after laying the foundation of a war memorial. He was optimistic of a positive response on the issue from China.

Combat computer

Bangalore (PTI): Soldiers will soon use hand-held computers to help in coordination during combat. Final trials of the Situational Awareness and Tactical Handheld Information is being conducted in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Supreme Hotel in Madurai will launch a ?Jayalakshmi? dosa, named after a saleswoman who was in the news for charging police officials with sexual harassment. The hotel has 100 varieties of dosa on its menu.