Rudrapur, an industrial town in Uttarakhand, witnesses large-scale rioting and clashes of a communal nature. THE Garhwal and Kumaon regions, which constitute the tiny hill State of Uttarakhand, were totally free of communal disturbances even when the entire country was in the grip of tension following the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya in 1992 and the Mumbai blasts in 1993. These regions had always maintained communal peace. But on...

-The Telegraph   Bengal education minister Bratya Basu today said the state government would next month notify rules to implement the right to education act, a requirement for central assistance to set up elementary schools. Basu, who was here for a conference of state education ministers on the one-and-a-half-year-old law, said the rules were “almost ready”. “We will notify the rules by November. Then we will demand the additional grants that we have not...

-The Times of India   Team Anna on Tuesday attacked political parties on the issue of corruption. It said that it is campaigning against Congress because it is in power and in a position to bring a strong Jan Lokpal, which will curb corruption across the country. Addressing a public meeting, team Anna members Arvind Kejriwal, said, "Uttar Pradesh has been facing the brunt of corruption for last several decades. The face of...

The members of Bhartiya Kisan Union on Tuesday threatened to take a six-month holiday every year for 10 years from framing if the government fails to take note of the hardship faced by farmers over rising prices and acquisition of farm land for commercial activity. Rakesh Tikait of Uttar Pradesh said with increasing input costs, farmers were finding it difficult to cultivate round the year. “If the government does not pay...

-The Hindu   The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed all States and Union Territories to build toilets, particularly for girls, in all government schools by the end of November. A Bench headed by Justice D.K. Jain asked all governments to take immediate steps for this and file their compliance report before the deadline fixed by it. In case of any problem, the governments will at least provide temporary toilets for the students by November-end...