3 days ago
August 15, 1985, Forty Years Ago: Punjab Accord
President Zail Singh hailed the recent Punjab accord as 'a victory of the democratic process' and hoped that it would bring peace, stability, and progress in the state. The President said the memorandum of settlement had been possible thanks to the statesmanship of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Assam Talks Stalled
Persisting differences over the cut-off year for determination of foreign nationals appeared to have held up agreement between the government and the Assam agitation leaders. The government was reportedly pressing for acceptance of 1971 as the cut-off year and the agitators demanded that it be 1966. Hardliner movement leaders had reservations about Hiteswar Saikia as the caretaker CM.
Haryana Mlas Resign
Deviating from their earlier decision to resign en masse from the Haryana Vidhan Sabha in protest against the Centre-Akali Dal accord, the Opposition in Haryana restricted itself to the submission of resignations of three key leaders — Devi Lal, former chief minister, Mangal Sein, leader of the BJP group, and Nihal Singh, leader of the Congress (J) in the Vidhan Sabha. The Speaker refused to comment.
I-Day Security Slip-Up
THE DELHI POLICE made a major security blunder in the dress rehearsal of the Independence Day ceremony, when they failed to stop an unauthorised man from entering the VVIP enclosure and making his way to the podium where the PM will unfurl the flag on August 15. None of the policemen were able to explain to senior officials who the man was, how he got in, and what he was doing.
