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Indian Express
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Opinion April 30, 1985, Forty Years Ago: Akali Leaders Meet
Meeting for the first time after Operation Blue Star, the three top Akali leaders — Harchand Singh Longowal, G S Tohra and Parkash Singh Badal — discussed the Punjab situation following their detention in June last year. The three leaders, who were released recently, are understood to have reviewed the party's strategy in light of the 'positive response' from various quarters to their stand on several issues troubling Punjab. Uneasy Peace While there was a marked improvement in the law-and-order situation in Ahmedabad, and the situation in Baroda and Surat was described as peaceful but tense, clashes between caste groups were reported from two villages in Mehsana district, leaving six injured. The authorities have decided to relax the curfew for 10 hours from 8 am across Ahmedabad city in view of the improved situation. Challenger Blast Off The space shuttle Challenger, carrying the Indian payload Anuradha, blasted off for a week of round-the-clock research in a European-built Spacelab. One of the most extensive space research projects ever undertaken began at 9.32 pm IST, when the space plane thundered to life and darted quickly out over the Atlantic Ocean on twin towers of fire and a massive trail of smoke. Anuradha is a Rs 4-million payload that will search for low-energy cosmic rays for seven days in space. Price Rise Woes Food and civil Supplies Minister Birendra Singh conceded that there had been an 'unprecedented' price rise during the last four weeks following the Union budget but shifted much of the responsibility for containing prices onto the states. The minister told the Lok Sabha that the government had expected a general increase in prices when it imposed additional levies in the budget and effected an upward revision in railway freight charges.
Indian Express
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Opinion April 29, 1985, Forty Years Ago: Surat violence
The army was put on alert in Surat after the police fired two rounds to disperse a violent mob that set fire to a large number of huts in the Ambanagar slum area. Incidents of arson, rioting, looting of shops and stone-throwing were reported. Four people were injured in the firing. Two columns of Army jawans have reached Surat to help the civilian authorities in maintaining peace. Longowal's stand Akali Dal president Harchand Singh Longowal's repeated assertions in the capital that the Akalis stand for the unity and integrity of the country and are opposed to violence seem to have made a good impact in political circles, and the visit might create the basis for further moves to solve the Punjab problem. Punjab Governor Arjun Singh and Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi are understood to have reviewed the Punjab situation in light of Longowal's speeches. Political circles seem to feel that Longowal is taking a reasonable stand. After Blue Star Parkash Singh Badal, former chief minister and a senior Akali leader, said the government would have to take 'fairly major and liberal steps' to win the confidence of the Sikhs shattered by Operation Blue Star and the November riots. The Akali leader, who was addressing his first press conference after release from 10 months of detention under the NSA, declined to specify the steps. He further said that the Sikhs could not tolerate the desecration of the Golden Temple and the Akal Takht.
Indian Express
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Opinion April 24, 1985, Forty Years Ago: Longowal Visit
The government is likely to adopt its strategy on Punjab after the visit of the Akali Dal president, Harchand Singh Longowal, to the capital. Longowal is visiting Delhi and the SGPC president, Gurcharan Singh Tohra, is likely to accompany him. The government is concerned over the proposal put forward by Tohra to demolish the Akal Takht. 20 Killed In Gujarat At least 20 persons were killed in police firing and other violent incidents (unofficial sources put the toll at over 50) and over 115 received bullet, knife or burn injuries as the situation in Ahmedabad turned very grave with large-scale arson, looting and communal clashes reported from hitherto peaceful labour localities. Indefinite curfew was extended to Bapunagar, Rakhival and Gomtipur. The police fired over 135 rounds at the mobs. Maintenance Law A divorced Muslim woman is entitled to maintenance from her husband under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code, a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court held. A five-judge bench, presided over by Chief Justice Y V Chandrachud, emphasised that there was no conflict between the provisions of the CrPC and the Muslim personal law on the question of the Muslim husband's obligation to maintain his divorced wife. DDA Mafia
