Opinion September 26, 1977, Forty Years Ago: Janata and Emergency

The Janata government may retain Article 352 of the Constitution, which enables the proclamation of emergency, in a modified form. According to current indications, this article might be amended to permit declaration of emergency on the account of external aggression or internal insurgency, in the whole or any part of the country. But built in safeguards will be provided against the abuse by any prime minister prone towards authoritarianism. Not only might prior cabinet approval be insisted upon but also the endorsement of the declaration of emergency by both the houses of Parliament by more than two thirds majority.

HM on Indira

The Union home minister, Charan Singh, made it clear that persons against whom investigations are going on for offences committed during the Emergency include Indira Gandhi. When Singh was asked when Mrs Gandhi would be arrested, he said: “Investigations are going on against many persons, including the person you mentioned. ”

Court pulls up Bhutto

The former Prime Minister, Z.A. Bhutto, was ordered to appear in court to answer charges of using “derogatory language” against members of the judiciary. The order came from the High Court of Lahore. More serious charges against Bhutto including ordering a murder, illegal detention, kidnapping and torture of political opponents, and contempt of court are also under its consideration. The notice alleges contempt of court by using derogatory language against the judiciary while speaking in the National Assembly in November 1976. The maximum sentence for the offence is six months.

Steve Biko

Thousands of chanting Africans raised their fists in a black protest salute as the body of the black leader, Steve Biko, was carried on a funeral procession. Biko, 30, died in police detention.

PM on farm crisis

Raising prices of farm produce was no solution to the problems of farmers, Prime Minister Morarji Desai said. Farmers were also consumers of a variety of goods and only if all prices came down, there could be contentment in the countryside, he said.