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Union Minister faces embarrassing moments

New Delhi: A Union Minister faced embarrassing moments in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday when CPI(M) member Varkala Radhakrishnan pointed out that a couple of buttons of his shirt were open and said this amounted to showing `discourtesy' to the House. When Minister of State for Coal Dasarinarayan Rao was replying to a query during question hour, Mr. Radhakrishnan pointed out to the Chair that the Minister was being `discourteous' to the House by keeping some buttons of his shirt open. Mr. Rao immediately put his buttons on. ``Sir, I have also been a Speaker [of the Kerala Assembly]. I would not have allowed this to happen,'' Mr. Radhakrishnan told Deputy Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal who was in the Chair. The episode caused considerable mirth in the House. — PTI

Prime Minister of Faroe Islands in Kochi

NEDUMBASSERY: Prime Minister of Faroe Islands Joannnes Eidesgaard arrived at the Cochin International Airport on Wednesday evening on a two-day visit. He is accompanied by a 27-member business delegation. Mr. Eidesgaard is the first Prime Minister from Faroe Islands to visit India since 1986. — A Correspondent

Jacobites welcome Government move

KOCHI: The Jacobite Syrian Christian Church has welcomed the move by the State Government to open the churches that are remaining closed on account of a dispute between the two factions of the Malankara Church. A press release from George Mathew Thekkethalakkal, church trustee, and Thampu George Thukalan, church secretary, said here on Wednesday that churches were meant for believers to pray in and to offer worship and that they did not expect any church member to agree to keeping them closed.

— Staff Reporter

BJP calls off hartal plan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The BJP has called its proposed Statewide hartal on Thursday in protest against the Railway Budget and the Union Budget, which had "grossly neglected the interests of the State." At a press conference here on Wednesday, BJP State president P.S. Sreedharan Pillai said the hartal had been called to avoid causing inconvenience to students appearing for the CBSE and Higher Secondary examinations. The party would, instead, observe Thursday as a `protest day' by holding demonstrations and meetings. — Special Correspondent

BSNL extends Plan 100

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The BSNL is extending its Plan 100 scheme, meant for Central/State Government and PSU employees, to the general public, subject to some conditions. They include a security deposit of Rs.1,000 for local calls and Rs.2,000 for local and STD calls. The general public will also have to pay an activation charge of Rs.200. all other terms and conditions will be the same as that of the existing Plan 100. The scheme will be effective for one month from Wednesday. Staff Reporter

50,000 from Kollam to attend Congress meet

KOLLAM: District Congress Committee (DCC) president Sooranad Rajashekaran, in a statement here on Wednesday, said 50,000 party workers from the district would take part in the Congress conference to be held in Ernakulam on March 7. The `deepashika' for the conference was accorded a rousing reception by the DCC at Paripally on Wednesday. The `deepashika' was given a reception at Chathannur and Kottiyam en route to Kollam. — Staff Reporter

Workshop on traditional industries

KOLLAM: The Kerala Institute of Labour and Employment is organising a workshop on ``Traditional industries: problems and remedies'' here on March 2. Labour Minister Babu Divakaran will inaugurate the workshop. At a press conference here on Tuesday, chairman of the institute R. Chandrashekaran said the workshop is aimed at creating solutions to the uplift of the sinking traditional industries. — Staff Reporter

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