Opinion 40 years ago November 7, 1985: PM warns against complacency on terrorism
This is the front page of The Indian Express published on November 7, 1985.
This is the front page of The Indian Express published on November 7, 1985. The Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, warned people against the repetition of mistakes which had scuttled Punjab’s peace and development in the past. Gandhi, who was addressing a large public meeting after laying the foundation stone of the prestigious Thein Dam project in Gurdaspur, said terrorism was manifesting its horrible face here and there again. The menace had to be finished once for all. “We had to strengthen democracy and ensure that none who sought to subvert it achieved any success,” he added.
Assam polls
Elections to the 14 Lok Sabha and 126 Assembly seats in Assam and all pending by-elections in the country will be held on December 16. The election rolls to all 125 constituencies in Assam after the disposal of claims and objections will be published soon, the Chief Election Commissioner, R K Trivedi, announced.
Rush to buy small arms
The recent announcement by the State Trading Corporation to sell imported, sophisticated small arms to the general public (only licence holders) has created a rush among potential buyers. The State Trading Corporation had imported a large quantity of small arms (pistols and revolvers) sometime in 1978-79 to sell them to arms dealers. But according to the dealers, it had priced them so high that the issue was taken to the court. What was the fate of the case, neither the dealers nor STC marketing manager V K Narain, in charge of the current small arms sale, are disclosing.
Indians dead in Lebanon
The Lebanese police have recovered at least six bodies of Indians in Beirut and towns to its north. Beirut newspapers said these people were killed in Lebanon in communal dashes in the last six weeks.
Sri Lanka blasts
Landmines laid by suspected Tamil guerillas killed 11 security personnel, seven policemen and four soldiers, and injured four others in two separate explosions in eastern Sri Lanka, a defence ministry spokesman said. The policemen were in a jeep when a landmine exploded on Allai-Kantalai Road in the eastern Trincomalee district about 225 km from Colombo. Later, four soldiers died and four others were injured in an explosion near Vakarai in Batticaloa.
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