The Indian Express front page (Express archives)
The rival groups in the West Bengal Janata Party are going ahead with their plans. The supporters of P C Sen, who has resigned from the party, have formed the West Bengal Panchayat Parishad, which will work for the success of “partyless” candidates in the panchayat election. Sen will be the chairman of the new party. He has said that he would not “budge from his idea of “partyless democracy” and his decision to resign from Janata Party was final.
PM On Violence
The Central government proposes to convene a conference of political parties to discuss the problem of violence and lawlessness and to find out ways and means to put an end to this “scourge”. Announcing this in the Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Morarji Desai sought the cooperation of the Opposition in evolving a consensus on how to deal with this problem. Let us all put our heads together without apportioning blame, he added. Desai said like untouchability, he viewed violence as a scourge. It was necessary for “all of us to sit together and discuss how to curb it”. He pleaded that no one should try to take political advantage of this situation. The PM was intervening in the resumed debate on the law and order situation in the country. He spoke in the absence of the home minister, Charan Singh, who was suddenly taken ill. Charan Singh had not concluded his speech on Thursday when the House was abruptly adjourned.
Koirala’s Trial
Kirtinidhi Bista, prime minister of Nepal, said that B P Koirala, former prime minister of Nepal, was convalescing after a successful operation in a US hospital. Koirala may be there for six weeks more. He also said Koirala was still facing a trial. Asked whether he would be kept out of jail on his return, Bista shot back, “don’t you think our government has shown utmost consideration in recommending his departure for the USA?”