National Events in June 1997
1st Jun
Mr. Laloo Yadav decides to challenge court order restraining him from exercising his powers as party president.
Mr. Ghulam Rasool Wani, National Conference leader, kidnapped and shot dead by militants at Kaskot in Doda district, Jammu.
Union Minister for Forests and Environment, Prof. Saifuddin Soz announces Rs. 9 crore - Central package for afforestation and eco-development in J & K.
2nd Jun
A Saudi Boeing lands at Tambaram IAF airstrip in instead of at nearby Meenambakkam international airport, Chennai.
3rd Jun
Four women Ministers join Union Cabinet.
Madras High Court restrains till June 10 Thirunavukkarasu group of AIADMK from giving effect to its ``general council'' meeting decisions.
4th Jun
Insat-2D, fourth indigenous communications satellite, put into orbit by Ariane launch vehicle from Kourou in French Guyana.
Special Judge, Mr. Ajit Bharihoke, discharges former Prime Minister, Mr. P. V. Narasimha Rao, and former Union Minister, Prof. K. K. Tewary, in St. Kitts forgery case for lack of sufficient evidence.
Defence Ministry denies Washington Post report that India has deployed Prithvi missile on Punjab border with Pakistan.
5th Jun
Mr. I. K. Gujral's visit to Nepal marked by signing of power trade agreement and MoU on civil aviation.
Election Commission fixes July 14 for election of 11th President.
6th Jun
A major concession to Kathmandu - transit facilities through Indian territory to Bangladesh - comes into force.
Ms. Sasikala, associate of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Ms. Jayalalitha, returns to the latter's residence in Chennai following her discharge from hospital.
Five killed and 17 injured in explosion in a bus in Gurdaspur district of Punjab.
U.S. Congress honours Mother Teresa with a gold medal.
7th Jun
At least 37 persons feared killed in fire in ``yagasala'' at Thanjavur Big Temple.
Delhi Court reschedules Janata Dal presidential election for June 18 (from June 10).
Mr. Pashupati Nath Paras, Bihar Jails Minister and younger brother of Railway Minister, Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan, resigns in protest against sacking of four of his senior colleagues by Chief Minister, Mr. Laloo Prasad Yadav.
8th Jun
Assam Chief Minister, Mr. Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, has narrow escape as a powerful remote-controlled bomb explodes in Maligaon area of Guwahati.
9th Jun
Congress(I) conducts organisational poll in various State headquarters after a gap of 47 years.
Prime Minister effects portfolio changes. Ms. Jayanti Natarajan given charge of Civil Aviation as Minister of State.
At least 50 persons killed and 5,000 families affected in landslip triggered by heavy rain in Gangktok.
CBI files chargesheet against former Union Minister of State for Communications, Mr. Sukh Ram, for amassing assets worth Rs. 5.74 crores beyond his known sources of income.
10th Jun
Eighteen persons killed and 10 wounded by suspected National Liberation Front of Tripura militants at Thalchhara near Agartala.
Tamil Nadu Minister, Mr. Senguttuvan, stripped of HR & CE portfolio and assigned Animal Husbandry.
CBI conducts raids at eight places, including houses of five IAS officers, private secretary to Bihar Chief Minister, Mr. Laloo Yadav and an income-tax official in connection with June fodder scam probe.
11th Jun
Four Commissioner-rank IAS officers, including a retired one, arrested and remanded to CBI custody in connection with fodder scam.
Police fire five rounds to disperse a mob which indulged in violence in Mangapuram area at Rajapalayam, Virudhunagar dt.
12th Jun
Mr. Sitaram Kesri elected president of the Congress(I).
Special Judge, Mr. V. B. Gupta, discharges former Union Ministers - Mr. Kamal Nath, Mr. B. D. Dhakne, Mr. Chand Ram and Mr. Buta Singh - in Jain hawala case.
13th Jun
At least 60 persons feared killed and several injured in a fire in Uphaar Grand cinema in South Delhi.
14th Jun
Rajya Sabha chairman recognises split in AIADMK parliamentary party and designates Jayalalitha-led AIADMK as AIADMK(I) and Thirunavukkarasu group as AIADMK(II).
India says it will not be pressured into making decisions related to Prithvi, pointing out that it has opted to keep missile deployment on hold now.
India expresses regret over ``inadvertent intrusion'' of IAF helicopter into Bangladesh territory.
15th Jun
Delhi High Court restrains former Rajasthan High Court Judge, Mr. Justice N. C. Kochhar, who was earlier appointed to conduct and supervise Janata Dal presidential poll, from going ahead with his work until final order on appeals is pronounced.
Tamil Nadu Government to accord sanction for granting major panchayat status to 99 town panchayats.
16th Jun
Vice-President Mr. K. R. Narayanan is joint candidate of Congress(I) and U.F. for President in July 14 election.
17th Jun
Bihar Governor Dr. A. R. Kidwai, gives green signal to CBI to prosecute Chief Minister, Mr. Laloo Prasad Yadav, Cabinet colleagues, Mr. Bhola Ram Toofani and Mr. Vidya Sagar Nishad, Union Minister, Mr. Chandradeo Prasad Verma, and former Union Minister, Dr. Jagannath Mishra, in fodder scam case.
Madras High Court holds that general council meeting convened by Mr. S. Thirunavukkarasu on June 3 is illegal and void ab initio as he was not authorised to call the meeting.
18th Jun
CBI files appeal before Supreme Court challenging Delhi High Court judgment quashing charges against BJP president, Mr. L. K. Advani, and Congress leader, Mr. Vidya Charan Shukla, in Jain hawala case.
Additional Advocate-General of Bihar, Mr. Shashi Anugraha Narain, resigns on ``moral grounds.''
19th Jun
Supreme Court appoints Mr. Madhu Dandavate and Mr. S. Jaipal Reddy to conduct the election for Janata Dal president by July 3. Prime Minister and his Pakistani counterpart, Mr. Nawaz Sharif, speaking for first time on restored hotline, reiterate their commitment to comprehensive dialogue, including Kashmir.
Mr. Laloo Yadav, apprehending arrest in connection with fodder scam case, seeks anticipatory bail.
Indian flag cargo ship, M. V. Arcadia Pride, sinks in inclement weather, seven nautical miles off Mumbai, leaving four sailors dead and 20 missing.
Mr. Jitendra Prasada, UPCC President, appointed AICC vice- president by Mr. Sitaram Kesri.
20th Jun
Second round of Foreign Secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan starts in Islamabad.
Mr. Chandradeo Prasad Verma resigns from Union Cabinet, following directive from Prime Minister.
Vice-President, Mr. K. R. Narayanan, files nomination papers for Presidential election.
Two blasts rock Sadar Bazar and Chandni Chowk areas of North Delhi.
21st Jun
CBI raids ancestral house of Bihar Chief Minister, Mr. Laloo Yadav, and houses of his two brothers-in-law and their relatives at various places in Gopalganj district in connection with fodder scam case.
22nd Jun
India and Pakistan agree to set up mechanism to address outstanding problems including the J & K issue.
Mr. Laloo Yadav says he will not quit ``even if hanged.''
President, Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma, promulgates Ordinance validating all out-of-turn allotments of houses made to government servants who fulfilled basic eligibility criteria.
23rd Jun
Prime Minister, Mr. Gujral, advises Bihar Chief Minister to step down from office. But Mr. Yadav denies that P.M. has instructed him to do so.
CBI files first chargesheet covering conspiracy aspect of the fodder scam case against Bihar Chief Minister and 55 others.
India and Pakistan reach accord on formation of joint working groups to address problems in integrated manner.
Communication equipment worth several crores destroyed and Chennai's land and mobile telephone networks thrown out of gear in fire at Anna Road telephone exchange.
24th Jun
Union Cabinet approves proposal for revival of Legislative Council in Tamil Nadu and creation of new one in Punjab.
Madras High Court quashes G.O. dated May 7 regulating admissions for 50 per cent seats under government quota in private unaided arts and science colleges.
25th Jun
Special Judge of CBI designated court rejects anticipatory bail petitions of Mr. Laloo Yadav, Cabinet colleagues, Mr. Bhola Ram Toofani and Mr. Vidya Sagar Nishad, and former Union Minister, Mr. Chandradeo Prasad Verma, in fodder scam case.
International donors and world's major finance institutions pledge $6.7 billion in development aid to India for 1996-97.
U.S. and India sign new bilateral treaty for extradition of fugitive offenders.
26th Jun
India declares its chemical weapon stockpiles and storage facilities as part of its obligations as signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention.
27th Jun
Patna High Court grants anticipatory bail to former Union Minister, Dr. Jagannath Mishra, in fodder scam case.
28th Jun
Supreme Court directs that Mr. Madhu Dandavate alone fix venue for Janata Dal presidential election and conduct poll by July 3.
29th Jun
A top counter-insurgent-turned political activist and two relatives killed in blast at high-security MLAs hostel in Srinagar.
30th Jun
Mr. Joginder Singh, CBI Director, given marching orders, bringing his 11-month-old controversial tenure to sudden end. Mr. R. C. Sharma, Special Director, takes over.