S P O T L I G H T

Bajrang Dal shifts venue
BHOPAL, Feb 17 (PTI) — The Bajrang Dal tonight said the proposed first three-day national convention here from tomorrow would not be held in its planned form because of “police and administrative repression” of its workers. A spokesman for the district Bajrang Dal unit told PTI that tomorrow’s meet would now take the form of “a struggle” against Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh, whom he described as “anti-Hindu.” He said a three-day convention of the Dal would be held at Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh from March 3 to discuss the twin issues of terrorism and religious conversion.

Petroleum prices
NEW DELHI, Feb 17 (PTI) — Petroleum Minister Ram Naik tonight hinted at a possible hike in petroleum prices in the coming Budget in view of the continuing rise in international crude prices. “We are constantly monitoring the situation but the rise in international prices in the past two-three months will have a reflection in the Budget”, he told reporters.

Delimitation
NEW DELHI, Feb 17 (PTI) — The Election Commission today said it would await Parliament’s decision on the government’s move to freeze the number of Lok Sabha seats at the current level till 2026 but favoured delimitation of constituencies without altering their number. “I personally feel you cannot punish those who try to control population growth and reward those who do the opposite”, Chief Election Commissioner M.S. Gill said when asked to comment on the government’s move not to alter the present Lok Sabha strength of 543 members.