Thousands of trade union leaders all over the country were taken into preventive custody on the eve of the nationwide industrial strike. Many union leaders went underground to avoid arrest while making final arrangements for the strike. The leaders of eight trade unions owing allegiance to left and right parties issued a final appeal to the working class to join the strike. The nationwide campaign committee of the trade unions which has called the strike to register a protest against the âanti-working class policies of Mrs Gandhiâs government, particularly laws such as ESMA and NSAâ was convinced that all central trade unions except those affiliated to INTUC would participate in the strike. The impact of the strike is expected to be in public sector undertakings and private industries since services such as the railways, airlines, ports, docks, posts and telegraph and hospitals have been exempted from the strike.
Bankâs warning
The World Bank President A W Clausen said that the climate for concessional assistance was not âpropitiousâ, and India will have to face a sharp cut in aid from the soft loan affiliate, the International Development Association. He hoped that Indian leaders show pragmatism and determination in evolving development and investment strategies to meet the current difficulties. âWe in the Bank are always ready to help,â he added.
US diplomat killed
A gunman shot and killed James Charles Ray, assistant military attache at the US embassy in Paris. He was 43. After the shooting, the gunman ran and melted away into the early morning crowd of Parisians going to work. The shooting was the second attack on a US diplomat in Paris in two months.
