No one interfered for calling off protests: Pinarayi & Oomman Chandy

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said that no understanding had been reached with the Left Democratic Front on ending its Secretariat siege CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan has on Thursday said that no mediators had intervened in calling off the Secretariat siege led by the LDF. Those who are citing the name of industrialist M A Yousaf Ali might be his PROs, he said. K Surendran is assuming the role of Yousaf Ali's PRO and is actually praising him by making such comments, Pinarayi insisted and added that he has no reply to those who have rented out their tongue to others.

Meanwhile the CPM central leadership has announced that the LDF agitation was not withdrawn through a mutual understanding. A mutual agreement between the UDF and the LDF is never possible in Kerala, said CPM Politburo member, S. Ramachandran Pillai, in Delhi. The agitation will be successful only if it realizes its aim of making Chief Minister Oommen Chandy resign. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, Kodiyeri Balakriishan, said that people are wishing for the chief minister's resignation and the will continue till that end it met. CPI state secretary, Panyan Raveendran, in his statement, has made it clear that his party won't agree to a probe that would exclude the CM's office from it.

LDF SECRETARIAT UPARODHAM

In a major offensive against the Congress-led United Democratic Front government in Kerala, thousands of the Left Democratic Front workers laid siege to the Secretariat here on Monday. The protest marked the beginning of the Opposition’s indefinite blockade to demand Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s resignation in the solar scam. Three out of the four gates came under blockade from early hours, with hundreds of activists occupying the roads leading to them. Mr. Chandy and his Cabinet colleagues had to reach the Secretariat early morning to attend a special meeting of the Cabinet. They entered and exited the Secretariat through the Cantonment Gate, which the police had secured on Sunday. Though Central police personnel had been requisitioned, they were not involved in any operation.

Addressing the agitators, the former Prime Minister, H.D. Deve Gowda, said Mr. Chandy should quit and face an inquiry by a judge of the Supreme Court or the High Court. Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat said Mr. Chandy should remember that the former Railway Minister, Pawan Kumar Bansal, resigned when it became clear that his relative and office were involved in railway appointments. Communist Party of India general secretary K. Sudhakar Reddy and RSP general secretary T.J. Chandrachoodan also demanded Mr. Chandy’s resignation.

Though the bulk of the LDF workers, drawn from all over the State, observed restraint, minor skirmishes occurred at two or three points. Quick intervention by LDF leaders and restraint exercised by the police ensured that there was no flare-up. At one point, CPI(M) State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan had to reach a sensitive spot near the RBI office to urge the activists to remain calm.

The government claimed that 67 per cent of the Secretariat employees attended office. However, the functioning of the Secretariat remained hit, forcing the government to declare holidays on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Chief Minister made the announcement after a meeting with his Cabinet colleagues and coalition leaders. The meeting also reportedly decided to hold informal talks with LDF leaders to end the stand-off. Active participation of the party officials are giving more encouragement to the cadres who are involved in the secretariat strike. Ignoring the heavy rainfall in morning party cadres and officials have stood still in front of the secretariat.

Pinarayi Vijayan has asked the protestors to keep discipline and not to provocate the police. He has also said that the strike is the emotion of the common man and it will be part of the history. Party secretary has also stated that barricades are not at all a hindrance to peoples emotions. Police have registered a case against the LDF strike by making VS Achuthanandan as the prime accused. Case has also been registered against thousands of other people who have participated in the strike. Chief minister has told that there will be no provocation measures from government side. Chief minister has asked other ministers to not to stay in secretariat offices as that will provocate the protestors. Ministers vehicles has been stopped by the protestors near bakery juction. In baker junction protestors from districts like kozhikode, kasargod and wayanad were assembled and they didn’t allowed the official vehicles of Aryadan Mohammed and VS Sivakumar to pass by but the vehicle of Chief Minister oommen chandy has surpassed the protestors and reached governors residence in vellayambalam. Chief ministers office has told that it is just a routine visit.

There was minor disturbances in the trivadrum city with regard to ldf strike as stones has be thrown against a police vehicle in vellayambalam, trivandrum and the driver got injured. The vehicle which was bringing secretariat employees has been attacked. Employees has entered the secretariat through the cantonment gate. Chief minister has told that there will be no delay of judicial inquiry in the solar scam. Shri oommen chandy has also said that the police inquiry into the solar scam is in its final state and after that judicial inquiry can be conducted. During the Inauguration meeting Prakash Karat has blamed chief minister oommen chandy for the solar scam as he was aware of what was happening. He also stated that chief minister should resign if he has got some responsibility towards the common man of kerala while officially inaugurating the strike. He also said that the railway minister Pavan Kumar Bansal has resigned just because his relative was involved in the railway scam. The blockade and siege organized in front of secretariat by the LDF has started in trivandrum with party members from various districts of kerala thronging trivandrum. LDF WITHDRAWN SECRETARIAT UPARODHAM Pinarayi vijayan has told that the indefinite strike organized by LDF will be part of the history and declared that the strike has been concluded as government has ordered for Judicial Inquiry.

LDF protestors are in a state of joy and it is expected that the strike will end in a short while from now. All the party members from different parts are joining in front of secretariat. LDF camp considers declaring a judicial inquiry is the first step towards the resignation of the chief minister. It is expected that the indefdefinite strike orderd by LDF will conclude on the second day. Pinarayi Vijayan and other eminent leaders of the LDF are reaching the centre stage of the strike infront of secretariat. An urgent LDF meeting will be convened considering the present situation.

Oommen chandy has asked the LDF to withdraw the blockade strike as the chief minister has declared a judicial enquiry. Terms and reference for the judicial inquiry can be discussed with LDF and suggestions from opposition will also be considered. The inquiry which is underway by the special investigation team will be concluded in a couple of days and no government money is wasted or misused with regard to solar scam. Chief minister has also stated that all the culprits in the solar case will be brought before the law. In the press conference Chief Minister Oommen chandy has said that a judicial enquiry in the solar scam and it will be conducted by a sitting judge and official declaration will be given in the next cabinet meeting.

Government is willing to and taking steps to finish off the siege by agreeing some demands put forward by the LDF. This was a decision taken in the all party meeting of UDF in Trivandrum. The decision was taken to go forward by declaring a judicial inquiry in the solar scam. By agreeing to the demand for judicial inquiry 1 need put forward by the LDF will be fruitful. Today is the second day of secretariat siege organised by LDF. Two days holiday has been declared for secretariat but the siege will continue. The preparations for the independece day parade is underway in central stadium in Trivandrum. A police vehicle has been stoned by protestors today morning near by bakery junction. CPM has told that the event has become a success.

Solar scam: Kerala Government seeks Central forces to face LDF 'siege'

Gearing up to tackle the indefinite siege of the government secretariat by the opposition LDF over solar scam, the Congress-led UDF Government in Kerala has requisitioned paramilitary forces to face the massive campaign starting on August 12. In what could be the biggest protest ever witnessed here, the LDF, spearheaded by CPI(M), plans to bring around one lakh workers as part of its ongoing campaign demanding resignation of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in connection with the scam. Taking a serious note of the campaign, especially its timing in the run up to Independence Day celebrations, the government has urged the Union Home Ministry to send a few companies of CRPF besides deploying the state forces in full strength, official sources said. The district collector has already declared holiday for educational institutions here in view of traffic disruption and other inconvenience to be caused by such a large convergence of protesters from all over the state. Unfazed by government's move to sternly handle the protest that might paralyse normal functioning of the seat of power, LDF leaders said the front would go ahead with the campaign without giving in to government's intimidatory tactics. According to CPI(M) leader and LDF convener Vaikom Viswan, around one lakh LDF volunteers would lay a siege to the secretariat blocking entry and exit through its four gates. As the lead partner of the LDF, CPI(M) alone would be mobilising about 75,000 volunteers through its nearly 25,000 branch committees in the state.

"This would be the biggest convergence of protesters ever seen by the state capital. We are not buckling under the threat from the government," CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan said at a public meeting last evening. National leaders of the Left and allied parties, including CPI(M)'s Prakash Karat and CPI's Sudhakar Reddy would be addressing the protesters. Solar scam, rocking the state for some two months, has brought Chandy under a cloud, especially after the arrest of one of his close personal aides for his alleged links with the scamsters.

The scam pertains to financial cheating of several people by the accused Biju Radkahrishnan and Saritha Nair, both under arrest, by offering clients solar energy solutions. The accused allegedly used their clout in the CM's office for duping their clients of huge sums. Ever since it surfaced, LDF has been demanding Chandy's resignation and a judicial probe into the scam.

Delving deep into history of Malayalam film, in the light of the award-winning film 'Celluloid', will helps us discover some bitter truths that have long been swept under carpet. The life of J .C Daniel and his tragic end after an arduous struggle to make the first Malayalam celluloid was being neglected by the corrupt politics of the privileged classes in society for a long time. The then government's apathy in accepting him as the Father of Malayalam cinema coupled with its disinterest in extending a helping hand to his family at the time of distress will for ever leave a deep scar in the sensibilities of Malayalam film fraternity. More so when we remember the fact that the unsung hero was pushed from prosperity into penury only for the sake of realizing the dream of making the first Malayalam cinema. The saga of the pioneer of Malayalam cinema was brilliantly reproduced in ‘Celluloid’, the biopic which has bagged seven State Awards for 2012, including the best film. The film on J. C Daniel, who was the producer- director of the first Malayalam movie Vigathakumaran (The Lost Child) released in 1930, was directed by the well-known film maker, Kamal. It tells the story of J.C.Daniel's turbulent life, the making of Vigathakumaran and the excommunication of its heroine P.K. Rosy, the first Malayalam actress. Being a Pulaya girl, who was considered untouchable by upper caste Hindu community in those days, Rosy had to run for life to an unknown village in Tamil Nadu. But the film stops short of naming two persons in particular, who were behind all the injustice done unto J.C Daniel and his struggling family. They were the persons who were instrumental in denying J.C. Daniel the rightful place he deserved in history , and the title of the Father of Malayalam cinema for a long period. The two well-known figures are: Malayatoor Ramakrishnan and K. Karunakaran. The duo schemed to bury the well documented historic files supporting J.C Daniel's claim of making the first Malayalam film and instead favoured T.R Sundaram , a Salem-based Modern Studio owner and producer of the film ‘Balan’ ( 1938) to be the official father of Malayalam cinema. In early seventies, K. Karunakaran , the Home Minister in C . Achutha Menon Governement was also the Minister-in-charge of Cultural Affairs. Malayatoor Ramakrishnan was the then Cultural Secretary in the Government of Kerala. It is now open and clear that the two in power conspired to deny J.C Daniel his due – the title of Father of Malayalam cinema . It is an irony that Malayatoor, the very person who wrote the novel ‘ Yanthram’ (machine), which tells the story of chilling juggernaut of bureaucracy, delaying or denying justice to the needy, had done this to J.C Daniel. The biopic on J.C Daniel is based on two books - The Life of J.C Daniel , a biography written by film journalist Chelangat Gopalakrishnan and ‘ Nashta Nayika’ (The Lost Heroine ) , a novel by Vinu Abraham in Malayalam. Kamal says that the script is based on these two books. He said he has done justice to the lives of both J.C.Daniel and P.K.Rosy in the film. To a question put to him by Manorama Online as to why the two named were not revealed, Kamal justified his stand by calling it as his artistic freedom. He explained further: “It is true that K.Karunakaran and Malayatoor Ramakrishnan had played their roles in denying justice to J.C Daniel. But people like Chelangat Gopalakrishnan tried their best to get J.C Daniel declared by Kerala government as Father of Malayalam Cinema. In my film , actor Siddique essays Malayatoor's character as Ramakrishna Ayer. It is his (Malyatoor's) real name and people closely watching my film can figure out Malyatoor in Siddique. As an artist and director I took my liberty to avoid popular names like Malyatoor and K.Karunakaran in the film. We may expand the canvass or reduce or even discard certain elements of original story for the sake of the creativity. Besides, I didn’t want a hullabaloo by raising those names in my film. Take it as my freedom as an artist.'' “In fact , the privileged class in our society had always tried to deny creative people from the lower strata their due. And in Malayalam cinema, from J.C Daniel to Thilakan, this practice of victimaisation has always been there. Thilakan had to fight it out in the last stage of his eventful life. A person from Christian Nadar community making the first Malayalam cinema with an ‘ untouchable’ Pulaya girl in the lead was something beyond the comprehension of the upper caste Hindus in erstwhile Travancore. So they resorted to violence to stop the screening of the film in Thiruvananthapuram. The ‘ untouchable’ heroine had to run for cover when her house was attacked. This is history and history repeats itself in different forms as in the case of Thilakan,” Kamal added

Suryanelli case: Raped by 42 men in 40 days,now verdict from Supreme Court

The parents of the girl, political leaders and women rights activists Thursday hailed the Supreme Court order setting aside the Kerala High Court's acquittal of 35 accused in the Suryanelli gangrape case. "We thank God. Our prayers for justice have been heard," the girl's father said from Idukki district. The Supreme Court over-ruled the verdict of the Kerala High Court which found just one man guilty. The Supreme Court has ordered the High Court to re-examine the evidence presented, and present its decision within six months. Her mother said she and her husband were grateful to all those who helped them in their prolonged pursuit of justice.

CPI(M) veteran and former chief minister V S Achuthanandan, who has taken the initiative in helping the parents of the girl to pursue the case, said he was happy that justice had been delivered though it came a bit delayed. In a statement here, the 88-year-old leader said he would continue his struggle for justice to victims in similar cases. P K Sreemathy, leader of CPI-M's women wing AIDWA and a former minister, said the apex court verdict in the Suryanelli case could be considered as a landmark order to be followed by courts in trial of sexual exploitation cases. Recently, the Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir expressed his concern over the delay in hearing the case, and promised to fast-track it. The Suryanelli rape case involves gangrape of a 16-year-old girl continuously for 40 days by 42 men in 1996.

The girl from Suryanelli in Idukki district of Kerala was abducted in January 1996 and was transported from place to place across Kerala. On September 6, 2000, the special court had sentenced 35 persons to rigorous imprisonment for varying terms. The Kerala High Court, however, acquitted all 35 convicts earlier and found only one of them person guilty of crimes related to

the sex trade and sentenced him to five years jail term and a fine of Rs 50,000. Later her family and the state moved the Supreme Court in 2005 against the high court's verdict.

Chennithala objects to NSS dragging his name

The war of attrition between Nair Service Society (NSS) and Congress in Kerala hotted up Tuesday with an embarrassed KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala objecting to the community outfit dragging his name to score points against the UDF government headed by Oommen Chandy. Reacting to NSS General Secretary G Sukumaran Nair's open call that Chennithala should have been given a key position in the ministry, the Congress leader said it was his own decision not to join the cabinet. "It was the decision of the High Command that I should contest the last assembly elections and the decision not to join the cabinet was my own," he told reporters.

Refusing to detract from his position, Nair said at the NSS headquarters at Perunna in Kottayam that Chennithala was under pressure to make statements against him and dared the Congress leadership to prove that there was no pre-poll pact between the NSS and Congress that Chennithala would be given a key role in the ministry. An emotional Chennithala also said there had been a 'conspiracy' to challenge his secular credentials and asserted that at no point in his career had he deviated from the basic ideals of the Congress party. Chennithala also said leaders of community organisations should not 'cross limits' while making public comments.

"My secular credentials have never been questioned. Community leaders should not cross limits while expressing their views," he said. The raging debate in political circles in Kerala was sparked off by the address of the NSS leader at the "Nair sammelanam" here on Sunday, in which he accused the Congress led UDF Government with "upsetting the communal balance" in governance and made a strong pitch for installing Chennithala in a key position in the ministry. Nair also said the Congress central leadership had given a word to NSS on the eve of 2011 assembly polls that Chennithala would be given a "key position" in the event of the UDF dislodging the LDF.

Several Congress and UDF leaders had reacted sharply to Nair's statement, holding that it would only harm Responding strongly against the demand raised by Nair Service Society to include him in the Kerala cabinet, Ramesh Chennitthala denied any such move from his side. Emphasizing his secular credentials, he said that his stand for secularism was perfect and well known. He also alleged that conspiracies have been plotted against him by enemies. “All sects supported me in the election. However, not to join the cabinet is my own decision.” Pointing out the demand of Sukumaran Nair, NSS General Secretary, to give room for Chennitthala in cabinet, Ramesh said it is Sukumaran Nair's own view. “ I am still sticking on to my previous decision not to enter the cabinet.”

Devinder Singh alias Bunty Chor arrested in Pune

Devinder Singh alias Bunty Chor, who was on the run after allegedly lifting a luxury car and other valuables from the house of an NRI in Kerala has been finally held in Pune Saturday. Kerala Police has left for Pune to take further action in this regard. More details are awaited.

After the burglary in Kerala, Bunty Chor had escaped into Karnataka. Though he was encountered by the Karnataka police he managed to escape. The police had stepped up combing operation in Karanataka in the belief that he was still there in the state. Meanwhile he left the vehicle on the road and fled when police closed in on him.

S Janaki rejects Padma Bhushan award

Veteran south Indian playback singer S Janaki today rejected the Padma Bhushan award, saying it has come too late in her 55-year-long career. "I refuse the Padma award... I have been singing for the last 55 years. I consider the recognition of my fans in various languages as the highest award. These awards don't mean anything to me," she told reporters at Ottappalam near here. "After so many years, they now give me Padma Bhushan. They should have given me the Bharat Ratna," she added. Janaki, who has over 20,000 songs in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi to her credit, also had a grouse that artistes from south were generally neglected in these awards.

"I am not just saying this for myself. There are many talented people in south India. They have not been recognised for their work. They should be recognised," she said. However, 75-year old, who ruled the south Indian cinema music scene in the 1980s and 1990s, said she had no problem against the government's decision to give her the honour. "I have no complaint towards the government. I don't think the government has done anything wrong. But I have decided to refuse Padma award," Janaki, who was at Ottappalam to attend a marriage, said. Janaki, who had won four national awards, was chosen in the art category among the 24 Padma Bhushan awardees in different fields announced on the eve of the Republic Day. Her son Murali Krishna, talking to PTI over phone, said the honour to his mother came too late.

"It has come too late. She should have got it long long time ago. She has refused to accept the award with due respect," he said. He also said they were not informed about the award being given to her and they learnt about it only through "some body else".

’Bunty chor’ suspected behind burglary in Thiruvananthapuram

Delhi-based burglar Devinder Singh alias "Bunty chor" is suspected to be behind the hitech burglary at the residence of an NRI businessman in the city. The thief drove off in a luxury car parked in the house after entering the premises breaking its hitech security systems like surveillance and intruder warning alarm. The house of K V G Nair, an NRI residing in the city, was burgled in the wee hours on Monday. The thief entered the house breaking hitech security systems such as surveillance cameras, intruder warning alarm and bullet-proof windows.

The police team investigating the case today claimed they had strong reasons to believe the burglary was committed by Devinder as the images of the thief caught in the hidden camera installed at the house bore striking resemblance to that of the upcountry criminal. The suspicion has been corroborated by the modus operandi of the burglar and other cirumstantial evidences, police sources here said. An ace car racer Bunty Chor is known to have a weakness for fancy cars and watches. Dibakar Banerjee's flick Oye Lucky, Lucky Oye (2008) was based on his life. When Nair and his family, who slept through the entire operation, woke up in the morning, they discovered they had been robbed. All that the burglar had left behind was an abandoned Maruti Esteem - also stolen - and a CCTV recording in which he was seen giving tips to the police.

In fact, when the CCTV footage was flashed on television, a city hotel informed the police that a person resembling the burglar had been staying at their hotel for the past one week. He had reportedly registered himself as Devinder Singh, a resident of Vikas Puri, New Delhi. Bunty had been last arrested in January 2012 from the old city area of Bhopal following a tip off. He was handed over to the Delhi Police but later jumped bail. Devinder is allegedly involved in scores of burglaries across the country and targets affluent homes and drives off in luxury cars once he set his eyes on them, sources said.

"The mode of operation showed that the thief is an adept in handling hitech security systems and devices. It appeared that he had operated on his own," police sources said. Kerala police are in touch with their counterparts in other states, including Delhi and neighbouring states, as the burglar could have crossed state borders in the car he stole.

Malayali boy suffers burns in ragging by seniors in a college at Tumkur in Karnataka

A 19-year-old boy, doing his Business Management course in a college at Tumkur in Karnataka, has been admitted to a hospital after he was allegedly ragged by senior students, police said on Monday. Mohammed Rafi, hailing from Vellimunda in Kerala's Wayanad district, was a first year BBM student of Sri Siddharth Institute of Business Management, police said. His relatives said he was physically assaulted and his head dipped in hot water last Saturday, resulting in burns to his neck and face. He was ragged as he did not attend a function in the college organised by the seniors, they said.

Rafi was hospitalised yesterday, relatives said, adding, a police complaint has been filed.

Non-subsidised LPG rate hiked by Rs 46.50 per cylinder

The price of non-subsidised cooking gas (LPG) was today hiked by Rs 46.50 per cylinder as part of reform measures unleashed by the government to trim its huge fuel subsidy bill. A 14.2-kg LPG cylinder that consumers will have to buy after they exhaust their enhanced quota of 9 subsidised bottles in a year, will cost Rs 942 from today, according to Indian OilBSE 10.46 % Corp (IOC). Oil PSUs had last hiked the price of non-subsidised LPG by Rs 26.50 per cylinder on November 1, but had to roll it back within hours as the government did not want to compound the backlash it was already facing for limiting supply of subsidised LPG to just six cylinders per household in a year.

However, after yesterday's government decision to raise the supply of LPG at subsidised rate of Rs 410.50 to 9 cylinders per household in a year from six, the rate for non-subsidised gas was hiked by Rs 46.50 per 14.2-kg cylinder to Rs 942 in Delhi. The government also moved towards deregulating diesel rates when it raised prices by 50 paisa per litre and planned similar monthly hikes in future. This was coupled with a decision to charge bulk consumers like defence, railways and state transport undertakings market price which is almost Rs 10 a litre more than retail selling rate, to save an estimated Rs 12,907 crore in annual subsidy.

As a sweetener to the bitter pill, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh bowed to public pressure to raise the cap on subsidised LPG to nine cylinders per household from six. State-owned oil companies in a parallel cut petrol price by 25 paise a litre in view of softening in global oil rates.

Diesel price to be raised by 50 paise per litre every month

Government on Thursday allowed oil companies to raise diesel price by 50 paise a litre per month and bulk users to be charged market price. Petrol price will also be cut by 25 paise per litre. Facing flak over move to raise diesel price, government on Thursday said it was a "very difficult" balancing act of generating revenue and protecting people's interest and questioned parties' opposition to the hike when they themselves had effected similar decisions in the past. The price of diesel will now increase by Rs 6 in a year. The new price would be effective from Friday, reports said. However, the government has told oil manufacturing companies to sell diesel to bulk buyers at market rate.

The state fuel retailers are expected to cut petrol prices by 25 paise per litre from Friday itself. The decision on diesel is expected to cut the subsidy bill by Rs 12,900 crore on account of hike in price of fuel sold to bulk consumers like Railways and state transport undertakings. Diesel accounts for 59 per cent of the estimated Rs 160,000 crore fuel subsidy bill in 2012-13. An order issued by the Oil Ministry post CCPA decision stated that bulk users be charged market price, that will result in a hike of Rs 10.81 per litre over and above the current rate of Rs 47.15 in Delhi. The government is expected to save about Rs 9,000 crore of raise in price for retail buyers.

Oil and Natural Gas Minister M Veerappa Moily had earlier said that the oil marketing companies can now decide on diesel price and change it by a small margin from time to time. Moily said, “We have now given liberty to all oil marketing companies to go in for small correction in days to come. The companies are at a liberty to do small corrections – considering all aspects.” “We have taken a first and decisive step oil companies will take a decision when full deregulation will be done,” he further said. Declining to clarify on the quantum of change in diesel price, Moily said that it is up to the oil marketing companies to decide on the amount. Moily said that the oil companies have been permitted to raise diesel prices by a small quantum periodically till such time that they are able to cover Rs 9.60 per litre loss they incur on the fuel.

The Oil Ministry had earlier this month made a proposal to Cabinet to raise diesel prices and increase the number of subsidised LPG cylinders available to households to nine a year from the current cap of six. Meanwhile, the Cabinet also approved the Petroleum Ministry’s proposal to increase the number of subsidised LPG cylinders available to households to nine a year from the current cap of six.

The government had sought permission from the Election Commission on Wednesday as three states – Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland – will go to polls soon and the model code of conduct is in force. Giving its approval, the Election Commission said the decision was not a violation of code as it was an ongoing scheme. With effect from April 2013, all households will be get nine subsidised cylinders instead of the earlier six.

Ice Cream Parlor Sex Abuse - High Court questioned State government's interests

The Kerala Government on Friday filed an appeal at the Kerala High Court against the decision of the First Class Judicial Magistrate Court in Kozhikode to give V.S. Achuthanandan the right to get copies of the witness statements related to the sensational Ice Cream Parlour Sexual Abuse case in which State Industries Minister P.K. Kunhalikutty was allegedly involved. High Court today questioned State government's interests in the ice-cream re-investigation case, when the case came up for hearing before court.

Court asked the government pleader about the intention of government in filing a petition against giving case diary to V S Achuthanandan, though the government was not party in ice cream re-investigation case. It was the accused who should have voiced against giving probe documents to Achuthanandan, the Magistrate court observed while accepting the government plea. Goverment should have helped the Magistrate court to reach the best decision. The court postponed the case to 22 January for further haring

State industries minister P.K. Kunhalikutty had to step down as minister in January 2005 after channels telecasted Regina's allegation that she was sexually exploited by the minister. The issue once again attracted media attention after his brother-in-law K.M. Rauf came up with allegations of bribery against Kunjalikutty.

Govt employees strike continues

The strike staged by the Left teachers-service organisations has entered the fourth day Friday even after Sangh Parivar affiliated Federation of Employees & Teachers Organisations (FETO) withdrew following talks held with Finance Minister K M Mani. A clash between the employees and protestors were reported from many places. The protestors decided to strengthen the strike after talks held with finance minister did not yield any result. Many of the government educational institution did not function as the SFI started an indefinite strike from today. Children were sent back from their respective schools in the morning.

The government employees and teachers affiliated to pro-Left trade unions, who have been protesting against complementary pension in Kerala, will hold talks with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Sunday at 8 pm. The employees are on strike for the last four days protesting against the government's decision to implement Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) for those who join the service from April this year. The meeting was fixed after the employees and teachers talked to Finance Minister K.M. Mani on Thursday.

The employees are on strike for the last four days protesting against the government's decision to implement Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) for those who join the service from April this year. The unions backed by BJP, however, decided to stay away from the strike in light of the talks. Meanwhile, the state government has taken steps to rein in the strike. As part of this, many protesters were arrested by the police.

Five engineering students, into custody in connection with the murder of Harihara Varma

Five engineering students were among five arrested here Saturday in connection with the murder of diamond trader and royal family member Harihara Varma on December 24. Additional Director General of Police A Hemachandran told reporters here that all of those arrested were from Kerala. They identified the accused as M. Jithesh, 33; V. Ajeesh, 27; Rakhil, 24; Jitesh’s cousin, Rakesh, 21; and J. Joseph, 20. They hail from lower middle class families in Kannur and Kozhikode districts and were part of a fraternity of Malayali students in Bangalore. Joseph is the son of a planter in Karnataka. All are first offenders with no previous police record.

The ADGP said robbery was the motive behind the murder and added that media reports putting the value of the stolen diamonds at Rs 300 crore was not correct. "The diamonds taken away from him on that date were not as valued as reported in the media," he said. Harihara Varma, 55, a member of the Poojar Royal family, was found murdered in his house at Puthoorkonam at nearby Vattiyoorkavu. Police had received vital clues from the driver of the car in which they went to Varma's house posing as buyers of diamond. The incident came to light after one Haridas, an advocate by profession and who claimed to be a mediator for the trade, informed police about the murder. The Kerala government had set up a special police team, headed by DCP Putta Vimaladitya, to probe the case.

Supreme Court to hear urgently appeal in Suryanelli rape case

The Supreme Court today decided to hear urgently an appeal against the acquittal of accused in the 17-year-old Suryanelli rape case in which a woman from Kerala was allegedly raped by 42 men for 40 days. With the appeal pending at apex court itself for eight years, a bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir assured that hearings would begin on it within three weeks. The bench gave the assurance after it was brought to its notice during mentioning period that the appeal against the acquittal of accused in the case is pending in the apex court for last eight years. The Suryanelli rape case involves gangrape of a 16-year-old girl continuously for 40 days by 42 men in 1996. The girl from Suryanelli in Idukki district of Kerala was abducted in January 1996 and was transported from place to place across Kerala. On September 6, 2000, the special court had sentenced 35 persons to rigorous imprisonment for varying terms. The Kerala High Court, however, acquitted all 35 convicts earlier and found only one of them person guilty of crimes related to the sex trade and sentenced him to five years jail term and a fine of Rs 50,000. Later her family and the state moved the Supreme Court in 2005 against the high court's verdict.