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Cabinet meeting on fuel price hike cancelled

     New Delhi: A cabinet meeting under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh slated for today to discuss the upward revision of fuel prices has been cancelled. Yesterday, the Prime Minister met leaders of left Parties during which he is believed to have told the left leaders that a hike in fuel price is inevitable. A special committee consisting of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar among others have been formed to take decision on the fuel price hike. Meanwhile, there is speculation that Government may take a decision to hike the fuel prices in a day or two as it is not essential to take Cabinet nod for the purpose.

Sri Lankan President arrives in New Delhi  (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga today arrived here on a three-day visit to hold talks with the Indian leadership on a wide range of issues. Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahmed received her at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. Kumaratunga's visit is expected to cement the friendly and close relations between the two countries. External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said that issues of mutual interest are expected to figure in the discussions as Sri Lanka is a "very close and important neighbour". During her stay here, Kumaratunga is scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar and discuss entire gamut of bilateral relations covering developments in Sri Lanka and India. Kumaratunga is expected to brief New Delhi about her move to set up a joint mechanism between the Sri Lankan Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) guerrillas to regulate the flow of foreign aid for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the areas devastated by the Dec 26 tsunami disaster. However, Sri Lankan political parties, including the Janata Vimukti Peramuna (JVP), the second largest partner in the coalition government, have been criticising this move saying that it would legitimise the LTTE's control of the region. While India supports the peace process between Colombo and the LTTE, it does not want the guerrillas to establish a "dictatorship" in the northeast.

Heavy turn-out in Haryana by-elections, modest in other states (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: Heavy turn out marked today's by- elections in Haryana and Goa as people came out in large numbers to exercise their franchise. The polling percentage in Killoi, from where Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda is contesting, touched 85 per cent. An estimated 55 to 60 per cent of the two million voters on Thursday, however, sealed their verdict in Electronic Voting Machines in by-elections to 17 Assembly constituencies in seven states, including Goa, where there is President's Rule and the Shimoga Lok Sabha seat in Karnataka. There were long queues of voters outside the polling booths and people came out in large numbers to decide the fate of candidates. Five assembly seats which went to polling were very crucial as their outcome will decide the fate of next government in the state. These seats had been vacant since five BJP MLA's resigned and joined the Congress camp in the political drama few months ago. In Uttar Pradesh, Allahabad West assembly seat saw a contest between BSP MLA Raju Pal's widow, Puja and Ashraf of the Samajwadi Party. Ashraf, the younger brother of known criminal and Samajwadi party MP Atiq Ahmed, is alleged to have killed Raju.

     There were widespread protest by the BSP worders against the alleged violation of the Election Commission's orders of Atiq's house arrest. Haryana saw a negligible amount of contest as all the three high profile candidates had a huge voter base following. Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda contested from Killoi seat. Kiran Chaudhary and Savitri Jindal fought from Tosham and Hisar respectively. Kiran and Tosham are widows of Congress leaders Surinder Singh and O P Jindal, who were killed in a helicopter crash recently. In Kerala, two seats went to polls while Karnataka saw a Lok Sabha seat contest. S Bangarappa fought the election battle from the Shimoga Lok Sabha seat. The highest turnout of 80 percent was recorded in Koothuparamba and Azhikode assembly constituencies of Kerala followed by 76 percent in Haryana, 62 in Goa, 50 in Andhra Pradesh, 50 percent in Karnataka and 41 percent in Uttar Pradesh.

ULFA seeks US intervention (Go To Top)

     Guwahati: Barely a week after Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh had invited them for talks, the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) has sought US intervention to "use its influence in order to bring about a satisfactory solution" to their cause. In a letter to the US President, ULFA Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa alleged that "more than 10,000 people have been killed" by Indian security forces and therefore, there is "an urgent need for satisfactory resolution of the conflict". The letter says "India has been plundering the natural wealth of Assam and other states of the region to feed the industries in mainland thereby impoverishing our peoples despite their rich natural resources" National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan had sent an invitation on the instructions of the Prime Minister to the ULFA Chief through his emissary and Assamese writer Indira Goswami for talks. But Goswami said she herself was intrigued about the appeal by the ULFA to the US President. Goswami said so far Rajkhowa has not responded to the letter from the Centre, though she had e-mailed a copy to him. ULFA is understood to be seeking the release of its top leaders so that it can discuss theCentres invitation forwarded by Goswami some days ago to hold talks on its core demands including 'souvereignity'. ULFA's appeal to the United States comes after Washington had added it in the list of terrorist organisations.

Film industry resents smoking ban on screen  (Go To Top)
by Gyanendra Kumar Keshri

    New Delhi: The Indian Film Industry has reacted sharply to the Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss' decision to ban smoking on screen. While, appreciating the concern of the Health Minister that smoking is injurious to health and it should not be glorified, film actor Feroz Khan said, "smoking is bad per se but to curb it on screen for portraying a character is infringing on the liberty of a filmmaker." He said that banning smoking on screen is not a solution. In most of the cases we show it in negative way which should have positive impact in motivating the people to leave smoking. "So long as any character is not shown promoting a particular brand or habit it should not be banned," he added. Describing the Government ban as unfair, film director Kunal Kohli who directed the film Hum Tum said, "I don't agree with the government decision .As filmmakers we need freedom." "Are you trying to tell me that if there is no smoking in films, then people won't smoke or if there is no violence in film then violence from the real life will be eliminated", asked Kohli. Films reflect what's happening in society, there is very little fantasy in it, he added. Actress Sushmita Sen expressed similar view on the Health Minister's decision. However, Actor Boman Irani who acted in the superhit film like Munnabhai MBBS supported the Health Minister's decision. "I stand by the ban, I think it's a good idea. We can do without smoking in our life, in our films," he said. Interestingly, there is a law already in place that bans advertising of tobacco in any form. Under the Cable Television Network Act's advertising code, no advertisement is permitted which promotes, directly or indirectly, production, sale or consumption of cigarettes, tobacco products, liquor or other intoxicants. The Health Minister has tweaked it a bit by bringing in smoking sequences in movies and non-advertising content on television.

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