About Chinese mobile phones, the minister said: 'The government has already imposed a ban on all those mobile phones which do not carry International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI).'

The ban was imposed from this month for security considerations.

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Media friendly, but not always

Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Prithviraj Chavan is usually quite friendly with the media, but on Monday he was tight-lipped. Journalists tried

to get him to say something on the joint India-Pakistan statement but he wriggled out.

'You will come to know about it on July 29,' was all that he would say when reporters tried to get him to comment.

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Taking on Maya, getting away with it

What is it that gives the Congress confidence to take on Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati despite her outside support to the government?

A senior Congress leader said she would not withdraw support 'as she is scared of the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) cases' about her alleged disproportionate assets.

'We will continue our fight against Mayawati both inside and outside parliament. She has lost touch with the ground reality in Uttar Pradesh. We know the ground reality,' he said.