A Game Of Farce
Milkha Singh's refusal to accept the Arjuna Award has sparked off a heated debate over the country's highest sporting honour. This year's controversial list is being seen as the straw that broke the camel's back. Leading sports people believe the award has been devalued and compromised by political lobbying.

A Leader Reformed
A.K. Antony, a one-time Nehruvian socialist, is winning the support of industry as well as Central funds in his new avatar as the harbinger of reforms in the economically beleaguered state.

Family Bride
Poor sex ratio has forced the Gurjjars of Rajasthan to share their wives.

NEWSNOTES

Voices

"They did not publicise the sacrifice of four RSS activists
killed in the North-east. Had the news been about Christian missionaries, it would have been widely covered."
Atal Bihari Vajpayee, prime minister, on the media's attitude towards the Sangh

"Kidnapping has become a flourishing business in Bihar. It has now almost become a self-employment scheme."
R.R. Prasad, director-general of police, Bihar

"We call L.K. Advani to embrace Islam-the only true way to eternal success."
Shahbaz Hussain, press secretary of the Students' Islamic Movement of India, after the home minister said the Centre was considering banning the organisation

"The three stadiums for the soccer competition deserve to be put in a museum."
Peter Vellappan, secretary-general of the Asian Football Confederation, after inspecting the facilities for the first Afro-Asian Games

VIS-A-VIS

"The Centre is considering extending relief to personnel of the forces ... in their fight against terrorism."
L.K. Advani, Union Home Minister

"If the security forces are not made accountable, they will indulge in more human rights violations."
Mehbooba Mufti, J&K People's Democratic Party

MetroScape

Looking Glass

Delhi Restaurant:
Singh Sahib

Chennai Exhibitions: Apparao Galleries

Bangalore Space Ride: Thrillarium

Delhi Maps: Dastkari Haat Samiti

Delhi Play: Neil Simon

Delhi Textiles: Out of the Cocoon