Opinion May 6, 1982, Forty Years Ago: Pressure On UK

Amid international pressure to end the fighting for the Falkland Islands, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher had a meeting with her war cabinet to discuss the loss of the destroyer H M S Sheffield knocked down by Argentine forces with at least 30 killed. Mrs Thatcher who vowed to continue the fight to regain the Falkland Islands faced mounting pressure on the fifth day of hostilities with Argentina from domestic opposition and European allies calling for a ceasefire. The diplomatic moves followed the attack on the British destroyer Sheffield, which was hit by Argentine fighters in response to the sinking of the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano by a British submarine. Defence Secretary John Nott told Parliament that British ships were still engaged in the operation despite the loss of the destroyer.

Rebels Pardoned

The Congress (I) has decided to pardon rebels, defectors from the Congress (U) after the 1980 elections and several others with a view to getting their help in the election battles in West Bengal, Haryana, Kerala and Himachal Pradesh. Following a meeting last week, the party has taken a series of steps which virtually amounted to a general pardon not only to the rebels but also to those against whom action has been taken.

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Anand Margi Killings

The Centre is not thinking of ordering a separate probe into the killing of Ananda Margis in Calcutta on April 30, the minister of state for home Nihar Ranjan Laskar told the Rajya Sabha. Laskar could not provide satisfactory answers to questions asked by members during a call-in-attention motion in which the Congress and Left Front members clashed. The latter suspected the former of conspiring against the government in West Bengal.