Strike by petrol pumps ridiculous: Aiyar

NEW DELHI, June 20 (UNI) Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar today described as "ridiculous" the strike by petrol pumps across the country demanding a hike in the commission, from 1.59 per cent to 5 per cent.

Virtually ruling out any immediate increase in the commission, Aiyar told reporters after a meeting of the Cabinet that it was not proper for petroleum dealers to press their demand at a time when the government and oil marketing companies were shouldering the heavy burden arising from a flare-up in international oil prices.

Agreeing that there was a need for a review of their commission, he said this could be taken up at a later time.

"I am not happy with them.

The country is not with them" on their agitation, the Minister said.

The Cabinet decided to increase diesel prices by Rs 2 per litre and petrol by Rs 2.5 per litre.

Petrol pumps are on a day-long strike today to protest against the "non-implementation" of the accord signed between them and the government nearly four years back.

Petroleum dealers have also threatened to go on an indefinite strike from July 18 if the government fails to implement the accord and enhance their commission from the prevailing 1.59 per cent to 5.0 per cent by then.

Pataudi taken to Hospital on way to Court NEW DELHI, June 20 (UNI) Former Indian Cricket captain Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, whose two-day police remand in the black buck hunting case ended today, was taken to a hospital in Jhajjar before being produced in a court there.

"Pataudi complained of breathlessness following which he was taken to hospital for a check-up.

He is now in court," Jhajjar SP Hanif Qureshi told UNI over phone.

He, howewver, denied reports that the former cricketer was taken back to his New Delhi residence for obtaining Registration papers of the Maruti Gypsy recovered from the posh Vasant Vihar mansion.

"Since his lawyer produced the RC here, we did not feel any need to take Pataudi to New Delhi," Qureshi said.

Pataudi had surrendered in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Sudhir Jeewan on June 18.

After evading the law for nearly a fortnight, he had surrendered after the Punjab and Haryana High Court rejected his anticipatory bail application.

Pataudi and seven others were booked under the Wildlife Protection Act on June 5 after Rohtak-based social activist Naresh Kadyan of the People For Animal (PFA) unearthed the carcass of the black buck.

Madan Singh, one of the accused, was arrested initially but granted bail by the Jhajjar court.