Opinion 40 years ago December 29, 1985: Martial law to be lifted
This is the front page of The Indian Express published on December 29, 1985.
This is the front page of The Indian Express published on December 29, 1985. The Pakistani President, Gen Zia-ul-Haq, will announce the lifting of the eight-and-a-half year old Martial Law in the country at a special joint session of parliament on December 30. The President will also simultaneously issue four presidential orders. One of them will pertain to the July 5, 1977 declaration through which he had imposed Martial Law in the country.
Stampede at Cong celebrations
The Congress centenary fete celebrations were thrown into a turmoil in Bombay as all elaborate security arrangements collapsed at the Brabourne Stadium, the venue for the plenary session, following a stampede for entry. Even as the Congress (I) president, Rajiv Gandhi, hoisted the flag at Indira Gandhi Nagar, several VVIPs including Union ministers, CWC members, and thousands of delegates and journalists were left stranded outside.
Assam-Centre rift
The new Assam government has a difference of opinion with the Centre over the erection of a fence and the construction of the road along the international border with Bangladesh to check illegal immigrants from that country. The matter was also taken up at the Cabinet meeting in Guwahati and it was decided to communicate this to the Centre. The Cabinet also decided to approach the Centre for the schemes regarding the road and the fence.
PM defends Emergency
Rajiv Gandhi has once again defended the proclamation of Emergency by Indira Gandhi in 1975. Delivering his presidential address to the Congress centenary session in Bombay, Gandhi said that the Emergency was proclaimed by Indira Gandhi to “meet an unprecedented threat to the nation’s stability.” He also reminded the audience that the “process of socio-economic change gathered momentum with the promulgation of the bold and dynamic 20-point programme during the Emergency.
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