New Delhi, December 24
Congress, Samajwadi Party and other allies of the UPA may for the first time come out together on the streets of UP to organise a bandh against the government of BSP chief Mayawati to agitate against killing of an executive engineer, allegedly by a BSP MLA Shekhar Tiwari for refusing to donate for Mayawati’s birthday.

The SP, leading Opposition in UP, aligned with the UPA in July over the Indo-US nuclear deal. SP spokesman Amar Singh announced a UP bandh tomorrow to protest against BSP’s coercive tactics in extorting and collecting targeted amounts for Mayawati’s birthday. He also welcomed the Congress criticism of Mayawati, hoping that Congress as an ally would also come out against the BSP tomorrow. Singh said he would meet senior Congress leaders Ahmed Patel and Pranab Mukherjee to finalise the strategy of holding joint demonstrations against the BSP rule in UP.

While the Congress has so far not stated whether it will take to the streets or not, it has criticised Mayawati and her collection spree as vehemently as Amar Singh. Similarly, another UPA partner LJP of Steel Minister Ram Vilas Paswan has also attacked Mayawati. Sources in the SP are now hoping that with UPA allies likely to join their agitation, the Opposition, for the first time since Mayawati assumed power, will demonstrate its street power.

Amar Singh, however, stated that the bandh would be peaceful and non-violent.

Meanwhile, the Congress has also constituted a two-member committee to investigate the killing of the executive engineer Manoj Gupta. Family members of Gupta have alleged that he was beaten to death by the BSP MLA and his supporters after he refused to pay them a huge sum for Mayawati’s birthday celebrations next month.

“The Congress condemns the ruthless, brazen killing of a government servant. The engineer was beaten to death by the BSP MLA and his supporters after he refused to pay them a huge sum for birthday celebrations of Chief Minister Mayawati,” Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said. Coming down heavily on Mayawati’s penchant for birthday celebrations, he questioned: “What kind of a birthday gift is the ruler of Uttar Pradesh looking for? What kind of a mayajaal is this that the ruler of UP is willing to go to any gigantic lengths for? Birthdays are occasions of happiness. Here we have an annual ritual of satiating a deity…how much is required to satiate her hunger?”

The party said Mayawati should reconsider her birthday celebrations and collection of funds for the occasion. “The Chief Minister must re-consider her celebrations and collection of funds because it is absolutely criminal,” AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh said.

“BSP workers and leaders are ruthlessly collecting funds from the administration. There is large-scale looting on this occasion. I do not know how much of this goes to her (Mayawati’s) kitty and how much collected by these political workers,” he added. Every year, on January 15 the BSP supremo holds a big birthday bash and party leaders at various levels are reportedly directed to make assigned contributions. The contributions are fixed depending upon the ministry and posts enjoyed by legislators and MPs, sources say.

New Delhi, December 24
India and the Maldives today signed an agreement for strengthening bilateral cooperation in the aviation sector and another for extending a $100 million standby credit facility to the island nation.

The agreements were signed here after talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Maldivian President Mohammed Nasheed. The visiting President also had talks with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and LK Advani.

President Pratibha Devisingh Patil hosted a banquet in his honour. At a meeting with representatives of Indian trade and industry, he asked them to pick up stake in the state-run sectors of electricity, transport, construction, fisheries and sanitation.

Nasheed, who is on his first visit to India after becoming President, is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including businessmen. He won the first multi-party elections held in November to oust the longest serving President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. He will conclude his three-day visit tomorrow.

Kolkata, December 24
In a joint raid by the BSF and the Kolkata police today arrested 32 Bangladeshi nationals from the newly built Kolkata station, who were allegedly acting as ISI agents. They were detained at the time of boarding a Delhi-bound train.

Yesterday too, three terrorists belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammed, who were trained at a camp at Khulna and who had passed through Kolkata as their corridor to Jammu by the Himagiri Express on December 17 had been detained by the BSF near the PoK border in Jammu on December 22.

The three terrorists - Mohammed Azar, Mohammed Nasir and Mohammed Zahir were recruited and trained at Karachi first and then once again they had to undergo the next round of training at Khulna in Bangladesh before they were transported to Kashir through West Bengal, the police report revealed.

State Home Secretary A. M. Chakraborty admitted today that a large number of ISI agents and terrorists had sneaked into the state through the porous border from across Bangladesh, which was a matter of concern for them. He said the BSF and the state police had been alerted.

Chakraborty said a red alert had been sounded in all districts in north Bengal following an intelligence report that the KLO terrorists could strike at different places some time in the last week of January when the KLO would be celebrating it’s foundation anniversary function.

Meanwhile, addressing a public meeting at Jalpaiguri today, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee asked the KLO and other terrorist outfits operating in north Bengal, adjoining Assam and other North East states to abjure violence and instead come to the negotiating table. He said their problems could only be solved through peaceful dialogue.

The Chief Minister also requested the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GMM) to call off their bandh and agitation programme in Darjeeling and asked them to attend the proposed tri-partite meeting on January 13 in Delhi, where their demands would be discussed.

Accordingly, GJM leader Bimal Gurung at a rally in Darjeeling announced the decision to postpone their continuous bandh and strike, which were to begin in the hills from next week.

Mumbai, December 24
The metropolitan magistrate’s court here today extended the police custody of Mohammad Ajmal Amir Iman, alias Ajmal Kasab, till January 6. Kasab, the lone terrorist from a group of 10 to be taken alive following the terrorist attacks in the city on November 26, is still to find a lawyer to defend him in the court.

Kasab was produced before metropolitan magistrate NN Shreemangle who held court in the lock up of the Crime Branch where he is being held. Due to security reasons, Kasab was not produced before the court. Sources here said Kasab has again appealed to the Pakistan High Commissoner for a lawyer to defend him in court. However, his earlier appeal has been rejected by Pakistan which denies that Kasab is a national of that country.

Police officials said today that Kasab had indicated to the magistrate that he wanted to appeal before the Pakistan High Commission for a lawyer. He had earlier sent a letter to the government of the neighboring country. According to officials here, the bodies of the other nine terrorists who were killed in the attack have not been claimed. Kasab’s appeal to the Pakistan government to take charge of the bodies has also been turned down.

Mumbai, December 24
The Nuclear Power Corporation (NPC) of India is on the look out for uranium mines around the world in order to ensure supplies for nuclear power plants in the country.

According to SK Jain, chairman and managing director, NPC, the public sector undertaking will pick up stakes in uranium mines in different countries like Russia and Kazakhstan to ensure uninterrupted fuel supplies. Under the nuclear deal signed by India with various countries including the US and Russia, fuel for nuclear plants under international safeguards may be obtained from the world market.

Guwahati, December 24
Heads have started rolling two days after notorious drug lord Pakhi Mian, alias Samsul Haque Talukdar, virtually walked out of Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) after drugging the police sentinels.

On the basis of preliminary investigation into the episode, the Assam government today suspended a registrar of the GMCH, Dr Punyadhar Deuri, who had taken ‘personal initiative’ in shifting the ailing and most wanted criminal from Guwahati jail to the hospital for better treatment.

Assam Health Minister Dr Himanta Bishwa Sharma today said Dr Deuri had been put under suspension for his suspected role in facilitating escape of the most wanted criminal who was under his treatment in the male surgical ward of the hospital. He said the police investigating the case could quiz any of the doctors or staff in the hospital if required.

Dr Deuri who had also treated the criminal while he was in Guwahati jail, recommended shifting of Pakhi Mian to the GMCH from the jail for better treatment. The criminal was suffering from diabetes and hernia.

A source in the hospital said the head of the department of the surgery department in the GMCH in his inquiry report mentioned about personal interest shown by Dr Deuri in shifting the criminal from the jail.

The minister said as a precautionary measure, from now onwards a person in judicial custody would have to be recommended by a three-member medical board for admission into any of the government hospitals in the state.

New Delhi, December 24
Dressed in saffron robe and sporting long hair, he comes across as a sadhu but what differentiates him from others is the fact that Ajit Sebastian is a Catholic priest and has donned this look to promote the “Indian Christian identity.”

A pass-out of CMC Seminary, Sebastian, who hails from Kerala, has now become an ayurvedic medic, yoga instructor and teacher for the Fazirpur Kadia village in Faridabad district of Haryana.

Known as the ‘Isai Baba’ (Christian sadhu), he says, “The saffron dress helps me to connect with people easily as they regard me as a religious person after seeing my robe.”

The popularity of the Isai Baba is such that the villagers have even set up an ‘ashram’ for him. “It is an old village panchayat building, which has now been refurbished into an ashram or what I would call a local hospital,” says Sebastian.

He says that several people visit his ashram daily, many of them, however, come for the ayurvedic medicines that he gives out.

Sebastian says that he does not preach the gospel and believes that it is only his work that matters. “People know me as an Isai Baba and they respect me for that. I tell them that their body is the temple of God just like what the Bible says, but I don’t preach the gospel as a whole. I prefer my way of life to be a role model for others,” he said while attending a Christmas celebration at Dharmajyoti Vidyapeeth, a seminary run by the Mar Thoma Syrian Church in the village.

About his practice of teaching yoga to the villagers, Sebastian says, “Yoga is about meditation. It relaxes one’s body and I have been doing it for many years. Teaching yoga has nothing to do with being a Hindu or a Christian.”

He adds, “I am least bothered about structural formations of religion. What I follow probably is the Indian Christian way.”

Sebastian, who also sponsors education for children in the village, says he has been able to send 112 students to schools and their fees are being paid by the ashram through the farming he does.

The ‘Baba’ also visits Hindu pilgrimage sites to interact with sadhus to enhance his knowledge of ayurvedic medicines.

“I keep going out to Hindu pilgrimage places like Badrinath where I barter my knowledge with other’s knowledge. It works perfectly for me,” he says.

Being a revered personality in the villagers, the Baba is invited by one and all in the area at their time of joy and sorrow.

“I feel good that irrespective of religion, people call on me whenever there is a celebration or mourning,” he says. He adds, “One reason probably why they do it is that my ashram doors are never shut. Anyone can walk in at any time. If hungry, they will be offered whatever is available at that time.” — PTI

New Delhi, December 24
Instead of continuing with the already-prolonged monsoon session, the government today decided to get the Parliament prorogued and call a fresh session in February to have a vote on account.

The monsoon session was called on July 21 and was since not prorogued. Its second part was held from October 17 and the final part, which ended yesterday, was called on December 10.

The decision of proroguing the Parliament came today after the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee met. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vyalar Ravi said the next session would be held in February next, not indicating the schedule. “The CCPA will again meet to decide that,” he said.

Ravi also dismissed the speculation that the parliament had been prorogued under pressure from Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee. “Please don’t drag the Speaker's name into the issue,” he said.

The government has long been under opposition pressure on the issue of adjourning the Parliament sine die. The charge against UPA is that it has been prolonging the session to escape a no-confidence motion.

Under existing rules, the Opposition can express lack of confidence in the council of ministers only once in one session. On July 22, the UPA brought its confidence vote which survived. It had since not prorogued the Parliament for obvious reasons.