Surat Beat

MSD raps attacks on minorities
The Movement for Secular Democracy held a preparatory meeting late on Wednesday at Navsarjan to mobilise public opinion ahead of its state-level convention in Ahmedabad on February 28, organised in view of the growing sectarian violence in the country. As many as 60 people from South Gujarat will attend the convention. The preparatory meeting condemned the attacks on minorities, their census, as also the statement of Shahi Imam who has opposed Salman Rushdie8217;s proposed visit to India. Former head of department of English, St Xavier8217;s College Prof Abid Shamsi, MSD convenor Dwarakanath Rath and Babubhai Desai spoke on the occasion.

AIR stir on
Vadodara: The indefinite strike of announcers of All India Radio, Vadodara entered the 12th day on Wednesday. The agitating announcers are demanding parity of wages with engineers and transmission executives. According to Vadodara unit secretary Chetan Jani, the quality of announcements have suffered due to voices of casual announcers going on air.

Stir withdrawn
Sindhrot villagers8217; stir against the collectorate8217;s decision to allot a 10-acre land to a religious forum 8212; Ram Chandra Mission 8212; at a particular site in the village, has been withdrawn. Former Member of Parliament Satyajit Gaekwad, who led the stir, told Express Newsline8217; that the relay hunger strike was withdrawn after District Collector Anil Mukim assured them that another land would be given to the Mission anywhere else than the existing spot.

No form fee
The Gujarat Secondary Education Board has decided to waive off the form fee of Rs 20 for external HSC students appearing in the October examinations. According to GSEB secretary N K Patel, arrangement for making the forms available free of cost at DEOs office was being made. He has requested students or parents not to send moneyorder or draft to the Board8217;s Gandhinagar office.