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This is an archive article published on May 21, 2018
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Opinion May 21, 1978, Forty Years Ago: CFD MPs’ disquiet

On May 21, 1978, Mirwaiz Maulvi Mohammad Farooq of Kashmir had joined the Janata Party.

indianexpress

By: Express News Service

May 21, 2018 12:07 AM IST First published on: May 21, 2018 at 12:07 AM IST
The attorney for Pakistan’s deposed prime minister, Z A Bhutto, charged that the death sentence imposed on Bhutto was the product of an international conspiracy. (File)

CFD MPs’ disquiet

Congress for Democracy members of the Janata Party from all over the country will meet in the second or third week of June to chalk out their plan of action and will consider in depth “the situation after the CFD’s merger with the Janata”. The possible courses of action they will discuss include: Whether the CFD should resign from the ministry; whether the party should function as a separate constituent of the Janata; whether it should function as a separate party and support the Janata from “outside”; and whether it should completely break away. A section of CFD members is confident that if the party breaks away, many like-minded people from the Congress-O, Congress-I and Congress will join it. The party will also have the support of most Dalit and Adivasi MPs, 89 from the Lok Sabha alone.

Mirwaiz joins Janata

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Mirwaiz Maulvi Mohammad Farooq of Kashmir has joined the Janata Party, a party spokesman said in New Delhi. Farooq, who is the chairman of the Awami Action Committee, has, however, refused to be nominated as one of the vice-presidents of the State party. Janata general secretary, Ramakrishna Hegde, said the Kashmir leader had expressed his desire to work as an ordinary member till the organisational elections were held.

Bhutto’s appeal

The attorney for Pakistan’s deposed prime minister, Z A Bhutto, charged that the death sentence imposed on Bhutto was the product of an international conspiracy. The attorney, Yahya Bakhtiar, made the allegation on the opening day of the hearing by the Pakistan Supreme Court of Bhutto’s appeal against the death sentence awarded by the Lahore high court. He did not say who was behind the conspiracy. Bhutto has claimed previously that Western nations wanted his removal because he was a leading spokesman for non-aligned nations.