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BJP gears up for agitation against oil price hike

        New Delhi/Patna/Thiruvananthapuram: The BJP on Monday announced that it would launch a nation-wide agitation against the Centre's recent decision to raise fuel prices. Former BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu said that a firm action plan for the proposed protest would be finalised by the BJP's central leadership when it meets in New Delhi on Tuesday. Meanwhile, normal life in Kerala was hit on Monday by a dawn-to- dusk strike called by the party in protest against the hike. According to reports, vehicles remained off the road in most of the state's districts, while shops and educational institutions remained shut. "It is not fair to increase the price of gas cylinders every month with five rupees and with an immediate rise of twenty rupees. The rise in price of diesel is also not fair.

     The BJP will hold its office-bearers meeting day after tomorrow in Delhi and the issue will be discussed there. In the meeting the party will decide to launch a nationwide agiation after that," a senior BJP leader was quoted as saying at a news conference in Patna on Monday. "They have increased the prices of articles used by the common people. The increase in diesel price will have an effect on the goods used by the poor people," said a woman activist of the CPI (M), who was participating in a Left-sponsored demonstration in the Indian capital. The government had not allowed oil firms to raise prices for three months in a bid to control inflation, which touched a 3-1/2 year high of 8.3 percent in August. State-run oil firms, which control almost 99 percent of India's 20,000 gas stations, suffered a revenue loss of 100 billion rupees ($2.21 billion) in April-September, the first half of fiscal 2004/05.

Cargo vessel sinks, 11 feared killed (Go To Top)

      Ahmedabad: At least 11 sailors were reportedly declared missing after a privately owned Indian ship 'Sher Hind' carrying 550 tonnes of rice is said to have capsized off the coast of Somalia. Reports reaching here said that of the 19 crew members on board, eight had managed to swim to safety. The ship, which had set off from Porbandar last week, is said to have sunk late on Sunday night.

Militant blown up in suicide attack (Go To Top)

      Srinagar: A militant was blown to pieces and four army personnel injured in a suicide attack by the extremists on a security camp in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir this afternoon. Official sources said the militant, carrying explosives, approached the camp of the 57 Rashtriya Rifles in the Sunderwani area of Bandipora, about 60 km from Srinagar, around 12 40 a.m. and tried to intrude into the camp through the main entrance. When the jawan posted there asked for his identity card, he triggered off the blast, killing himself.

Army denies joint operations in Myanmar (Go To Top)

      New Delhi: The Indian Army on Monday denied that it was carrying out a joint operation with Myanmar to drive out rebels from Manipur. Major SD Goswami, the army spokesman, said that the army was only carrying out counter-insurgency operations in the normal line of duty in the state. "Security forces had been carrying out counter-insurgency operation in several areas of Manipur as a normal duty and at least 13 militants had been killed, 34 ultras apprehended and 20 weapons recovered since September", said Major Goswami. Major Goswami also denied reports that 6000 troops had been deployed in the interiors of Manipur or that 100 rebel camps had been attacked by the army since Monday last in Manipur.

Monkeys die mysterious death in Meerut (Go To Top)

      Meerut: As many as 50 monkeys have died a mysterious death here over the past week even as the villagers remain a confused lot as to what disease may have afflicted the simians. They say that the apes were not at all a nuisance to their fields. The villagers say that no external injury marks were visible on the dead monkeys' bodies. "Early morning I saw 9-10 dead monkeys around the fields so I informed the villagers. Subsequently we found more bodies and now we have started burying them," said Ram Avtar, a villager. Abbas, another villager, said: "Only God knows what happened to them. They were not a nuisance to us." This is the second time in the area in two years when mystery has surrounded the monkeys' death. In 2002, more than 100 monkeys were found dead around a lake. Forest officials say they would investigate the matter. "We will take all the bodies for post-mortem examination and if we suspect a foul play, we will catch hold of the criminal. A case will also be registered," said Rajesh Kumar, a forest department official.

Rajkot girl wins gold in Madrid Yoga World Cup (Go To Top)

      Rajkot: A teenager in Rajkot has made the country proud by winning gold medal at the 13th Yoga World Cup held at Madrid. Vaishali Makwana (14), a class lX student, won a gold and a silver medal at the Yoga World Cup, organised by the Yoga Alliance of Europe in association with the International Yoga Federation. At an age when children are busy playing for fun sake, Vaishali started practising Yoga. Vaishali won gold in the artistic Yoga category beating participants from 14 countries and a silver in the Athletic Yoga category. A go-getter and totally devoted to her sport, she has high aspirations in life and wants to participate in the Olympics. For that Vaishali wants to switch over to gymanstics as yoga is not included in Oympic sports. "I want to dedicate more to sports and especially yoga. I am thinking I will also start gymnastics and aim to participate in the Olympics," said Vaishali. Despite winning two medals, Vaishali has so far received no recognition either from the government. Moreover, her family had to bear the entire expenses for the journey for participating in the event. "The government should do something to promote sports persons like her. We have not received any help from the government so far," said Veljibhai Makwana, Vaishali's father. Vaishali, who devotes more than two hours daily practising yoga, has won eight gold medals at various competitions held within the country. She started with skating, switched to swimming and then to yoga, winning prizes in various competitions she participated. Vaishali, whose only dream now is to win laurels at the Olympics, says she will now be concentrating on Gymnastics and also continue with Yoga.

NCP finalises list of 24 Maharashtra ministers (Go To Top)

       New Delhi: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has finalised its list of 24 Ministers in the Maharashtra Cabinet, even as Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh continues protracted talks with Congress president Sonia Gandhi to decide 18 names from that party. The expansion of the two-member Maharashtra cabinet is expected to take place tomorrow. NCP General Secretary T P Peethambaram Master told news agency that it was awaiting the list of Congress Ministers. Congress sources said that the main hitch in the finalisation of the Congress list is the attempt to give representation to all sections. The problem has been compounded by the fact that the Congress has had to give up three berths to the NCP and two to independent members.

Zaheera knocks at Minority Commission's door (Go To Top)

       New Delhi: Zaheera Sheikh, the key witness in the Best Bakery case, on Monday knocked at the door of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) alleging that she was being "pressurised" by social activist Teesta Setalvad and her NGO. "We received a letter from her (Zaheera) today in which she has complained of being coerced to name innocent persons in the case by Setalvad and her NGO. She has written that she is feeling helpless as she belongs to a minority community," NCM Chairman Tarlochan Singh was quoted by a news agency as saying. Zaheera is believed to have said in her letter that she had been coercively taken to Mumbai at Setalvad's best and threatened with dire consequences, besides being kept in confinement by Setalvad there. Singh informed that the Commission has taken cognisance of the complaint.