From the States

BIHAR
Sack Bihar Governor: Nitish
From Our Correspondent

The JD-U leader Shri Nitish Kumar has demanded the dismissal of Bihar Governor Shri Buta Singh for having spied on NDA before recommending dissolution of the Assembly.

Shri Nitish Kumar said that "now it has become all public that the Bihar Governor was acting like a political agent in the State. He himself has admitted in the letter having contacts with both the BJP and the JD-U who passed on information to him".

RAJASTHAN
Industry status for hospitality sector: Raje
From Our Correspondent

To promote tourism in the State, the Rajasthan Government is considering a move to accord the hospitality sector industry status to it. The Chief Minister Smt. Vasundhara Raje gave this assurance to representatives of this sector at a national conference on tourism, jointly organised by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the tourism department. The State Government will not leave any stone unturned to exploit the full potential of tourism in the State, she assured.

The two-day long conference focussed on "New Opportunity for Investment and Marketing Development of Eco, Rural and Health Tourism''. Smt. Raje said the Government is formulating a new tourism policy incorporating the latest trends and other factors in the hospitality sector to give a new thrust to tourism in the State.

With foreign tourists although Rajasthan continues to be the most sought after destination, yet the State Government is keen to develop more destinations in lesser known parts of the State to increase Rajasthan's share in foreign tourist potential, Smt. Raje said.

ASSAM
Assam is hub of ISI activities: Pramod Mahajan

BJP General Secretary Shri Pramod Mahajan has alleged at Guwahati that Assam has become the hub of ISI activities in the country paving the way for possible involvement of Islamic fundamentalist forces in the recent killing of an RSS leader in Nalbari.

"The Centre has given a list of terrorists to Pakistan after the Home secretary level meeting and the name of ULFA commander -in-chief Paresh Baruah is mentioned which proves that the ISI had made Assam its centre," Shri Pramod Mahajan told newspersons.

Shri Mahajan visited the family members of slain RSS leader Shri Sukleswar Medhi in Nalbari. He said BJP had demanded a CBI probe into the killing to find out the extent of involvement of Islamic fundamentalist forces in the crime.

"Medhi had started a Jan Jagaran (mass awareness) campaign on the ill effects of infiltration by distributing handbills throughout Nalbari district and thus his killing raises doubts of involvement of foreign elements," Shri Mahajan said. "All killings in Assam are linked to ULFA but the local people have a feeling that fundamentalist forces may also be involved in the dastardly killing," Shri Mahajan said.

"The BJP is surprised to note that neither the Chief Minister, ministers or even the local MLA have visited the family members of the slain leader which goes to show the callous attitude of the State Government," he said.

"The Sangh parivar and BJP pledged support to the family of Medhi and hoped the CM should at least send a condolence message and offer a job to his widow," he hoped.