National Events in December 2000
Dec. 1:
An armed intruder snipes at a naval commando Satvir Singh, at the official residence of the Navy Chief, Admiral Sushil Kumar in the high- security Rajaji Marg area in New Delhi. The Navy sets up a Board of Enquiry to probe the incident.
There will be a cap of 20 per cent equity for broadcasters planning to operate DTH television services, says the I&B Minister, Mrs. Sushma Swaraj.
The Delhi High Court bans corporal punishment for school children.
Dec. 2:
Pakistan orders `maximum restraint' along LOC.
The Election Commission modifies the election symbols order modifying the criteria for recognition as National and State parties.
Thirty-six passengers die and 140 suffer injuries after the Amritsar-bound Howrah Mail crashes into the overturned wagons of an Assam- bound train near Jeonpura village in Fatehgarh Sahib district, Punjab.
The Kerala Cabinet names Karnataka High Court Judge, Mr. V. P. Mohan Kumar as commission to probe hooch tragedies in Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram.
Dec. 3:
In a major ruling, the Supreme Court holds that though income from agriculture is not taxable, the proceeds from sale of an agricultural land will be liable for income tax.
Dec. 4:
India deports TULF functionary-turned LTTE supporter, Mr. M.K. Eelavendhan, a Chennai resident for over a decade.
Dec. 5:
The BCCI slaps life ban on Azharuddin and Ajay Sharma. Ajay Jadeja and Manoj Prabhakar receive five-year ban, while Nayan Mongia is given a clean chit.
Ayodhya issue rocks parliament throwing business out of gear as the entire Opposition demands the resignation of the chargesheeted Ministers, Mr. L.K. Advani, Dr.M.M. Joshi and Ms. Uma Bharti.
Postal staff go on a nationwide indefinite strike and the Government terms it illegal.
Dec. 6:
The Ayodhya agitation an ``expression of nationalist feelings'' and the ``task has remained unfinished'', says the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee.
The Supreme Court gives a clean chit to the former Prime Minister, Mr. P. V. Narasimha Rao upholding the trial court's order discharging him and former Union Minister, Mr. K.K. Tewary from the `St.Kitts forgery case'.
The Government notifies a new wage structure for journalists and non-journalists.
The National Christian Council of India president and church of North India moderator, Bishop Vinod Peter and the Rajasthan CNI, Bishop Gerald Andrews die in a car accident near Jodhpur in Rajasthan.
Dec. 7:
``The Mandir can be built where it already exists, the Masjid can be built on an alternative site,'' says the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee. Parliament adjourns amidst unprecedented scenes.
A five-member ULFA group guns down 26 Non-Assamese persons, mostly Hindi and Bengali-speaking, at Sonpura near Arunachal Pradesh Border in Upper Assam.
The Supreme Court orders closure of all polluting industrial units operating in the residential and non-conforming areas of Delhi.
Dec. 8:
EC nod for Paswans's party to be known as Lok Janshakti Party.
United Nations Sanctions Committee clears the Indo-Iraq food for oil deal.
Dec. 10:
Seven persons die in continuing attacks on relatives of the ULFA and Bodo militants, in Assam's Goalpara and Darrang districts.
Dec. 12:
The six-day stand-off in Parliament ends as the Government and the Opposition agree to a discussion under Rule 184 in the Lok Sabha.
A special court for CBI cases rejects the Hinduja brothers' plea and summons them to appear before it on January 19, 2001.
Quake rocks Idukki, Kottayam and Kozhikode districts of Kerala. Impact in Madurai, Theni, Coimbatore and the Nilgiris districts in Tamil Nadu.
Dec. 13:
The Lok Sabha begins the Ayodhya Babri Masjid debate and the Government put on the backfoot.
The Government introduces the Banking Companies (Amendment) Bill seeking to reduce the Government's equity in nationalised banks from 51 per cent to 33 per cent.
The Mumbai Police arrest Hindi film maker Nazim Hassan Rizvi for allegedly entering into a conspiracy with underworld don Chotta Shakeel for eliminating certain key Bollywood personalities.
All 12 battalions of the Manipur Rifles Personnel strike work.
Mr. Vikram Sood, is appointed New RAW Chief.
Dec. 14:
Lok Sabha rejects Congress censure motion, The Prime Minister agrees to honour court verdict in Ayodhya issue.
The Government declares the 10-day old postal strike illegal as per the provisions of the Industrial Dispute Act.
Dec. 15:
Mumbai film maker, Nazim Rizvi confesses being in touch with the underworld don Chhota Shakeel.
Dec. 16:
Mr. Kalyan Banerjee, becomes the first Indian to head the Rotary Foundation, one of the richest bodies of the Rotary International.
Dec. 17:
The 13-day nationwide postal strike off.
The Government makes Internet telephony legal.
Britain makes a formal request to India for a Presidential pardon to arms dealer Peter Bleach undergoing life term in a Calcutta jail in connection with the Purulia arms drop case.
Dec. 18:
The Delhi Government begins sealing polluting industries.
The Tatas and the Hindujas shortlisted for disinvestment in both Air India and Indian Airlines and Videocon International for the domestic airline.
Smt. M.S. Subbulakshmi gets the Bangalore-based Sri Rama Seva Mandali Trust's maiden S.V. Narayanaswamy Rao Memorial National Award for promoting Indian Classical music.
The Lok Sabha adopts the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill, 2000 and the Government announces plan to set up a National Commission for Children.
Dec. 19:
The Government suffers an embarrassing defeat with the Rajya Sabha adopting a motion recording its ``disagreement'' with the Prime Minister for defending three of his Cabinet colleagues charged in the Babri Masjid demolition case.
U.N. resolutions on self-determination in Kashmir have lost their relevance as they have become time-barred, says the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee.
A Special Judge frames charges against Romesh Sharma, the frontman of Dawood Ibrahim and eight other co-accused for hatching a conspiracy and extorting a helicopter from a private aviation company.
A massive blaze guts Mehboob Studio, one of the oldest in Mumbai city.
Dec. 20:
The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee announces the Government's decision to extend J&K ceasefire till January 26, 2001.
Malaysian police arrest Italian businessman, Mr. Ottavio Quattrocchi in Kuala Lumpur following an extradition request by the Government of India.
The Government accepts the Eleventh Finance Commission recommendation to extend grants to all the States from the Incentive Fund.
The Cabinet decides to further amend the provisions of the controversial Code of Civil Procedure (Amendment) Act.
Dec. 21:
Women's Bill put off again.
Dismissals null and void in the 1978 Samba espionage case, rules the Delhi High Court and orders grant of relief to nine officials then working in the 168 Infantry Brigade in Samba, Punjab.
Dec. 22:
Three Army jawans die in an attack by a suicide squad of Lakshar-e-Taiba on the Red Fort in Delhi leading to a 45-minute gun- battle.
Dec. 23:
The Centre gives the green signal to the West Bengal Government's proposal to rename Calcutta ``Kolkata''.
Mrs.Chokila Iyer, Ambassador to Ireland is appointed the next Foreign Secretary.
Dec. 24:
The Government reinstates Dr.R.S.Paroda as the Director-General of the ICAR.
Dec. 25:
The Prime Minister, Mr.A.B.Vajpayee, launches a Rs.60,000 crore ``Gram Sadak Yojana'' for linking all villages and the ``Antyodaya Anna Scheme'' for providing cheap foodgrains under the TPDS.
Dec. 26:
Delhi police commandos gun down Red Fort attack suspect, Abu Samal, in a fierce encounter in South Delhi.
Nepal bans Hrithik movies following the deaths of four persons in police firing to quell student protests against the actor's alleged derogatory remarks against Nepalis.
A Special Court in Chennai frames charges against the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Ms. Jayalalitha, in the SPIC disinvestment case.
Dec. 28:
The Government clears the APHC leaders' visit to Pakistan on January 15, in a boost to the peace initiative.
India, Russia sign their biggest yet defence deal for licensed production of the Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jets worth dollars 3 billion.
India, Israel deal on Phalcon AWACS planes put on hold, pending change of guard in the U.S.
The Kanchi Acharya, presents the Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati national eminence awards to the former Prime Minister, Mr. P.V. Narasimha Rao, Smt. M.S. Subbulakshmi (in absentia), scientist Mr. Ramnarayan Agarwal and pravachan artist, Mr. Rameshbhai Ojha.