This is an archive article published on August 2, 2019

Opinion August 2, 1979, Forty Years Ago

There was a blistering attack on YB Chavan, Deputy Prime Minister, at the CWC meeting for his mishandling of the first list of ministers.

August 2, 1979, Forty Years Ago

By: Editorial

August 2, 2019 12:32 AM IST First published on: Aug 2, 2019 at 12:32 AM IST

August 2, 1979, Forty Years Ago

Chavan Under Fire

A meeting of the pre-split AICC will be held in Bangalore on August 17 and 18. The Congress Working Committee took this decision today. There was a blistering attack on YB Chavan, Deputy Prime Minister, at the CWC meeting for his mishandling of the first list of ministers. Bhola Paswan Shastri, leader of the Congress Party in the Lok Sabha, Yunus Saleem and Vinayak Acharya led the attack They were supported by some others. When the attack was in full cry, Chavan left the meeting possibly in a huff. At one point, when Chavan said he took the blame for all that had happened, Mohammad Ali shouted, ”Don’t try to defend, yourself.” Chavan said the list of nominees would show that the interests of minorities, women and Harijans had been adequately safeguarded.

Anarchy On Rise

Nanaji Deshmukh, Janata Party General Secretary said here that anarchy was fast enveloping the country. Speaking at a rally to mark the death anniversary of Lokmanya Tilak, he said, “politics of opportunism doesn’t behove a country of great ideals and leaders of the calibre of Shivaji, Tilak and Mahatma Gandhi. Society should boycott and isolate such power crazy elements.” He wondered whether such leaders considered they could serve the nation and society only through the seat of power.

Farewell To Arms

A batch of 100 rebel Mizos led by “Colonel” Vanthanga, former “Commander-in-chief” of the banned Mizo National Army bid farewell to arms, surrendered themselves before Mizoram’s Inspector-General of Police, Ved Marwah, and signed the oath of allegiance to the Indian Constitution at a simple ceremony in the police complex at Aizawl. The government reciprocated the gesture, giving an initial rehabilitation grant of Rs 1,000 each and a promise of industrial and agricultural loans to enable them to start their careers afresh.

# Forty Years Ago