14-05-2025
Forty Years Ago: New sedition law, terrorist death in police custody, no ban on Quran
New Security Law
The government proposes to bring forward a legislation to fight terrorism more effectively. Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi said the legislation, 'an amendment to the law or an act' would be for removing restrictions the law places on the government in dealing with terrorists. The government has also decided to amend the Arms Act and bring separate comprehensive legislation on sedition and terrorist activities, enlarging the existing provisions.
Sri Lanka-India Talks
Esmond Wickremesinghe, special envoy of Sri Lankan President J R Jayewardene, who is now attending the South Asian Regional Cooperation (SARC) meeting at Thimphu, would meet Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in New Delhi on his way back to Colombo from Bhutan. The English daily, Island, said Wickremesinghe was going to India to 'clear the air between Colombo and New Delhi' following the strong exchange of words that took place between the two countries after Minister of State for External Affairs Khurshed Alam Khan's statement on the ethnic problem in the island nation.
Custody Death
Mohinder Singh, one of the three suspected terrorists caught at West Patel Nagar, died in police custody. The suspect had apparently been tortured to death. Mohinder Singh alias Khalsa was brought dead to the Lohia hospital at 4.15 pm. Yet, at 4.55 pm, the police told the court that he could not be produced for remand because he was in hospital 'refusing food and water.'
No Ban On Quran
Justice B C Basak of the Calcutta High Court dismissed the petition for banning the Quran. When the petition came up for hearing, Justice Basak ordered that since the matter had been assigned to him, he would hear it from the beginning. All previous orders for affidavits were thereby revoked, he said.
