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.

Varanasi, Apr 13: One person was killed and two injured here on Monday after a fire broke out in a lane full of shops.

A transformer in the lane caught fire and gradually the flames spread to the entire area engulfing three saree shops.

Residents complained that the fire went out of control because of the carelessness of the administration.

Srinagar, Apr 13: National Conference President Farooq Abdullah on Monday said that he would raise ''very important'' issues in Parliament after the elections, including the matter of resuming the composite dialogue between India and Pakistan.

Talking to reporters here, Abdullah said: "We will raise very important issues in the Parliament after the elections. One such issue will be a discussion on Indo-Pak relations and resumption of the stalled dialogue between the two countries."

New York, Apr. 13: The long time lesbian lover of tennis great Martina Navratilova is threatening to wash their dirty laundry in public if she doesn''t get a settlement to her liking based on their eight years together.

"There are a lot of skeletons in Martina''s closet. It is more like a storage facility full of them, and I know them all," the New York Post quoted Toni Layton, as saying.