Forty Years Ago, December 24, 1980: Assam bandh

The Assam government has assumed special powers to combat publication of inflammable materials as normal life in Gauhati and several other towns was paralysed due to a 10-hour bandh against alleged police atrocities on satyagrahis demanding the deportation of “foreign nationals”. The bandh called by AASU and AAGSP was officially described as peaceful except at Raha and Dhing, in Nowgong district, where police had to use teargas shells and lathicharge the satyagrahis. In assuming special powers under the Assam Special Powers (Press Act), 1960, an official notification said that the government was satisfied that a situation existed where communal harmony was threatened by the publication of certain matters.

Support for farmers

Leaders of the Central Kisan Coordination Committee, which has been renamed “Kisan Sangam” will participated in the last leg of the long march of Maharashtra farmers. Devi Lal, convenor of the Sangam, said that the protestors would leave for Nagpur on December 25. Chandrajit Yadav and Prakash Singh, two other leaders of the Sangam, also present at Devi Lal’s press conference, said the committee comprised representatives of all political parties.

And, in Tamil Nadu

The Tamil Nadu government invoked the provisions of the National Security Ordinance to arrest I Narayanswami Naidu, the president of the Tamil Nadu agriculturists association as the outfit began its agitation to block the supply of farm produce to urban areas.

UN premises attacked

The UN building in Beirut was attacked and set on fire by thousands of Lebanese protestors agitating against the failure of the UN peace-keeping force to protect them from Israeli attacks. They alleged that the UN was force in collusion with the Israeli government.