Opinion 40 years ago December 25, 1985: Mahanta ministry sworn in
This is the front page of The Indian Express published on December 25, 1985.
This is the front page of The Indian Express published on December 25, 1985. A new chapter in the political history of Assam began when Prafulla Mahanta, still a student, along with 20 of his council of ministers, was sworn in as Chief Minister at a public function at the Nehru Stadium in Guwahati. Nearly one-and-a-half lakh people cheered as Mahanta, 32, took the oath of office and secrecy administered by the Governor, Bhishma Narain Singh.
Yaqub on India-Pak ties
The Pakistan Foreign Minister, Yaqub Khan, on Tuesday said his country wanted to develop its relations with India on the basis of strict adherence to the principle of non-interference in each other’s internal affairs and settlement of disputes through peaceful means as reflected in the Simla agreement of 1972. Initiating the foreign policy debate in the joint session of Parliament, Yaqub Khan said that during the last eight years, Pakistan’s efforts at normalising relations with India had made “significant and encouraging progress”.
Cops caught on disco duty
The police jeep was parked outside a notorious “discotheque” near the red light area at G B Road in New Delhi. Police officers were inside the so-called disco, watching the proceedings, well-known in the area for their obscenity. The Lieutenant Governor, H L Kapoor, made a surprise visit to the red light area, and saw the police jeep parked there. The driver reportedly said the policemen were inside. Kapoor has ordered the Commissioner of Police now to take “appropriate action” against the cops at the disco for obscene dances. The L-G also said the discotheque was unauthorised. He has ordered action against the owners of the discotheque, apart from the policemen engaging in unauthorised pleasures.
Rajneesh aides denied visas
The Government has refused to extend the visa of all the 10 personal aides of Bhagwan Rajneesh who arrived here with him from the United States on November 17 aboard a chartered plane from Oregon, the controversial godman’s abode in the US. Nine of them have already left India. While the aides, including his personal physician, cook and nurse, were ordered out of the country last week, his personal secretary Francoise Ruddy Meredith, was asked to leave India by the next possible flight on Tuesday.
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