A meeting of the State Women Commissions on Monday witnessed a heated debate after a participant from Haryana stated that the “Khap Panchayats” have been doing good work.

The loss caused by Monday’s Bharat bandh seems to be a case of the blind men and the elephant. Each of the varied industry chambers have come out with estimates — that vary very sharply — ranging from a relatively mild impact of Rs 3,000 crore to an eye-popping Rs 13,000 crore.

The Delhi high court on Monday issued contempt notice to the Indian Army Chief, Gen. V.K. Singh, for not complying with its earlier order of March 12 to grant permanent commissions to women officers who had approached it alleging gender bias in the armed forces.

Hitting out at the Planning Commission, the road transport minister, Mr Kamal Nath, on Monday said that it is an “armchair advisor” and is “like a buffet table” from where one should choose according to one’s own digestive ability”.

Seeking to make common cause with Iran in dealing with Afghan situation, India stressed the need to avoid the return of “fundamentalist and extremist groups. While addressing the delegates participating in the strategic dialogue on “India and Iran: An enduring relationship,” foreign secretary Nirupama Rao said, “We need to move

Sky Train, Sun Ray and Gloriosa impressed most in the workouts when the following horses were exercised on the trial track here on Monday.
Outer sand: 600 metres: Virtuoso (rb) 43.5. 1000 metres: Alviano (rb) 1-11.5, 600/43, handy. Royal Surprise (L. Stephane) 1-10, 600/41.5, good. Sky Train (Faisal) 1-8, 600/40, speedy.

The police has arrested Ashraf and Jaffar, two activists of the Muslim fundamentalist outfit, Popular Front, in connection with the attack on a college lecturer on Sunday in whi-ch his right hand was cut off. They were remanded to judicial custody for 14 days.

The Indian youngsters picked up two silver and two bronze medals on the final day of the 14th Asian Junior Athletics Championship in Hanoi, Vietnam. In the men’s 10,000M walk, Mani Ram Patel clinched the silver in 45:06.51 minutes while Arpinder Singh added one more silver to India’s tally when his 16.1- metre effort fetched him the second place in triple jump.

The Bharat Bandh called by Opposition parties over the fuel price hike was total in Kerala with transport services staying off the roads, establishments downing shutters and government offices becoming dysfunctional.

India ended their campaign on a disappointing note playing out a 4-4 draw against Japan to finish last in the four-nation Hamburg Masters hockey tournament at the Uhlenhoster Club in Hamburg on Sunday.