National Events in May 2001
May 1:
India along with the European Union and 14 other countries, is brought under the `Special 301' priority watchlist of the United States Trade Representative for violation of intellectual property rights.
In a major order, the Supreme Court holds that the burden of proof lies with the person who comes to court seeking annulment of marriage on the ground that his spouse was of unsound mind.
May 3:
Veteran Congress leader and former Gujarat Chief Minister, Mr. Chhabildas Mehta, quits the party's primary membership.
May 4:
The Special CBI court trying the Babri Masjid demolition case puts on hold the trial of 21 accused in the case.
India and Croatia sign a bilateral investment promotion agreement which shall remain in force for 10 years.
May 5:
The Special Cell of Delhi police arrest six persons in Jahangirpuri in North-West Delhi and foil an ISI-backed plot to eliminate the Tehelka.com Chief Executive, Mr. Tarun Tejpal and editor investigation of the site Mr. Aniruddha Bahal.
The Armed forces begin the biggest ever war games, codenamed Operation Poorna Vijay, since the 1987 ``Operation Brasstacks'', in Thar desert, Rajasthan.
May 7:
Heart surgeon, Dr. Inderjit Singh Virdi, becomes the first Indian to be admitted to the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.
May 8:
The senior BJP leader, Mr. Kidar Nath Sahani, is appointed Governor of Sikkim. Mr. Amolak Rattan Kohli is the new Governor of Mizoram. Mr. N. N. Jha is named the Lieutenant-Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The Arunachal Pradesh Education Minister, Mr. Dera Natung, Ms. Nandita Judge, deputy managing director of The Times of India group and four others die as their Pawan Hans chopper crashes near Itanagar.
May 9:
The Union Cabinet throws open the Defence equipment production to the private sector and foreign direct investment of up to 26 per cent.
The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee dedicates to the nation the Jamnagar-Loni LPG pipeline, the longest of its kind in the world at Loni, U.P.
May 10:
The AIADMK wins a landslide victory in Tamil Nadu Assembly polls. The Congress(I) wrests Kerala and Assam. The Left Front retains West Bengal securing its sixth consecutive term.
India offers a grant of $ 5 million to Tajikistan to tackle the drought situation and concludes five agreements. The Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee and the Tajik President, Mr. Imamoli Sharifovic Rakhmonov, sign a joint declaration on mutual relations.
May 11:
The Cabinet Committee on Security, decides to create an integrated headquarters for the defence services and defence intelligence agency.
India believes a credible minimum nuclear deterrent is the basic security umbrella ``we owe to our people'', says the Prime Minister, Mr.A.B. Vajpayee on the third anniversary of the Pokhran tests.
May 14:
The AIADMK general secretary, Ms. J. Jayalalitha is sworn in Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.
India and Malaysia sign seven agreements, including one between IRCON International and the Malaysian Transport Ministry for the construction of a $ 1.8 billion railway line in Malaysia.
Army submits its internal enquiry report on the Tehelka expose to the Union Government.
May 15:
India and Malaysia sign 15 agreements, and New Delhi also offers the use of GSLV to Kuala Lumpur to launch its own satellites.
May 16:
Mr. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, is appointed West Bengal Chief Minister, after steering the Left Front to an unprecedented sixth consecutive victory.
May 17:
Mr. A.K. Antony is sworn in the 18th Chief Minister of Kerala by the Governor, Mr. S.S. Kang.
May 18:
A 17-member Ministry headed by Mr. Tarun Gogoi is sworn in in Assam.
The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, launches the Rs. 150-crore Khetihar Mazdoor Bima Yojna for the welfare of agricultural workers, the first-ever such scheme for the sector, in New Delhi.
May 20:
The CBSE bans dissections in biology practicals in the senior school curriculum with immediate effect.
May 21:
The three-month-old Samata Party-led People's Front Ministry in Manipur headed by Mr. Radha Binodh Koijam is defeated in a vote of confidence in the Assembly.
Mr. K.P. Singh, is appointed the next Director of the Intelligence Bureau.
May 24:
A devastating fire breaks out in a forward Army ammunition depot at Birdhwal, 20 km from Suratgarh town in Sriganganagar district near the international border, in Rajasthan.
May 25:
The Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee invites the Pakistan Chief Executive, Gen.Pervez Musharraf to visit India.
To speed up trial, a special court in New Delhi, orders separation of the Rs. 64 crores Bofors payoff case.
May 26:
Mr. Nagendra Nath Jha, is sworn in the Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
May 29:
``Kashmir is the core, but we will discuss other issues too,'' says the Pakistan Chief Executive, Gen. Pervez Musharraf accepting the talks offer made by the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee.
The Enron-promoted Dabhol announces decision to terminate the Power Purchase Agreement with the Maharashtra State Electricity Board.
May 31:
The Government declares as illegal the use of its emblem by private websites.