Latest news with #Longowal
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
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Opinion April 28, 1985, Forty Years Ago: Violence In Gujarat
Authorities in Baroda ordered the police to shoot anybody found indulging in arson or looting as incidents of violence continued to sweep Gujarat in the wake of the anti-reservation stir. Baroda and two other major towns of Gujarat — Surat and Anand — came under indefinite curfew after mob violence. Ambush in Sri Lanka Sri Lanka's Tamil militants, using remote-controlled detonators, blew up an army convoy at Kattaipanchan in the Eastern Batticaloa district killing seven personnel on the spot. The incident occurred on the Batticaloa-Muthur road as the armymen under the command of W D Amarlal were proceeding in a jeep on a routine patrol. There were twin explosions as the militants set off the explosives under the jeep. This was the third ambush of Army convoys in the island's eastern and northern provinces during the last two days. Clashes In Bombay Two unidentified persons were stabbed to death while at least nine were injured, including four in police firing, following group clashes at Antop Hill and Musafirkhana areas in Bombay. The police told UNI that the clashes began following the declaration of the Bombay Municipal Corporation election results. Rival groups used stones and soda water bottles in the clashes. Several policemen were also injured when they tried to control the situation. The police have made several arrests. Longowal On Unity The Akali Dal chief Harchand Singh Longowal reiterated that Sikhs were going to live in this country and work for its integrity and unity. 'We shall not allow this nation to be divided. But we shall keep our heads high and fight for our rights,' he said.
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
