Prime Minister Morarji Desai said his government will follow the policy of non-alignment, without fear or leaning to one side or another. He told Newsweek and Time magazines in an interview that there was a feeling among the people that “we are leaning towards the Soviet Union”. He did not favour special relations with one country.
Yes to Non-alignment
A communication has gone to all Indian missions that India will continue to adhere to the policy of non-alignment. However, for the first time, the word “genuine” has been affixed to non-alignment in official diction. What is sought to be conveyed is that New Delhi will from now follow the policy of non-alignment scrupulously. This is meant to suggest that so far there was at times a tilt towards East European countries and that this would be corrected. In its election manifesto, the Janata Party mentioned “it is committed to genuine non-alignment free from attachment to any power bloc”. Foreign Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee also called the Kuwait ambassador, Essa Abdul Rehman, the doyen of the diplomatic corps, to assure him personally that India would continue to follow the policy of non-alignment and that the new government would continue to be friendly to Arab countries.
Relief For Strikers
The unconditional reinstatement of Railway employees, including casual labour victimised by the Congress government for participation in the 1974 strike, would be completed in six months, Railway Minister Madhu Dandavate told the Lok Sabha.
Left Coordination
Three leftist parties, the CPM, RSP, and Forward Bloc, decided to coordinate their activities in Parliament and invited other “independent and progressive” groups and individuals to join them. The representatives of the parties said the effort would be extended at mass level.
