New Delhi/ Patna/ Ranchi: The Congress Party on Monday asked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to tender apologies for the Babri mosque demolition and communal statements made by its leaders.

Reacting to BJP leader L K Advani''s demand for an apology from Congress President Sonia Gandhi for her critical remarks on the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said, "Advani should begin by seeking an apology for Babri; he has to seek an apology for keeping quiet during Varun Gandhi''s reprehensive divisive speech, Praveen Togadia, Vinay Katyals and Narendra Modi have to seek apology."

New Delhi, Apr 13: President Pratibha Patil today greeted the nation ahead of the festivals of Bihu, Naba Barsh and Vishu, which fall tomorrow.

In her message, she has said: "On the auspicious occasion of Rongali Bihu, Naba Barsh, Puthandu Pirappu, and Vishu, I extend my greetings and good wishes to all my countrymen."

Darshan nagar village/Madna village (Faizabad), Apr 13: The Uttar Pradesh Government is involving villagers in digging of a sewage line and a pond to generate employment.

In Darshan Nagar village under the Purabazar province in Faizabad district, a sewage line is being dug in front of the concrete houses.

The construction work is being done under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) promoted by the Ministry of Rural Development.

Patna, Apr 13: Janata Dal- United (JD-U) leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh `Lalan' on Monday filed a defamation case against former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi for making inflammatory remarks against him and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar earlier this month.

The complaint said such malicious and slanderous statements did not behove a former Chief Minister.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate A. K. Jha received the case under Section 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Amethi, Apr 13: Priyanka Gandhi on Monday accused the Mayawati- led Uttar Pradesh Government for creating impediments in the developmental works in Amethi, which is represented in Parliament by her brother Rahul Gandhi.

"A non-Congress government in Uttar Pradesh or at the Centre has always tried to create hurdles in executing development works. For instance, the Uttar Pradesh Government did its best to halt the proposed Rail Coach Factory project in Rai Bareli," she said while addressing an election rally here.

The Rotary International president-elect John Kenny committed at a Friday press conference in Pune that the Rotary-supported projects will receive all the requisite funds, with $200 having been earmarked for polio eradication by the year 2012.