This is the front page of The Indian Express published on September 2, 1979.The Janata Party blamed “vested interests,” including some political organisations, for the recurrence of communal trouble in parts of the country. The national executive of the party passed a resolution deploring the outbreak of communal violence in Jamshedpur and elsewhere. The executive felt that “in these disturbances there is the hand of vested interests, including some political organisations, which would like to create a fear psychosis among the minorities with a view to securing their political support”. The party apprehended that as the general elections approach “such forces may become increasingly active.”
Payment Agreement
Leaders of various workers’ organisations were reported to have agreed to the postponement of the interest payable on compulsory deposits in cash for another year. A finance ministry announcement said that the was meeting convened by the finance minister, H N Bahuguna, with representatives of nine trade union organisations “to contain inflation by restricting money supply in the market”. Leaders of central workers’ organisations were stated to have agreed voluntarily to advise the workers to opt for retention, for one more year, of the amount of interest payable to them in cash as a part of the instalment of compulsory deposits.
No Free Pass
The golden pass controversy involving the railway minister, T A Pai, and the chief election commissioner, has come at an unfortunate time for the Janata (S) chairman, Raj Narain. Narain will now not get the free travel pass he is reported to have sought from Pai. It is learnt that Narain wrote to the railway minister eeking countrywide free travel facilities for himself. Having already granted Narain’s request for a pass for the Janata (S) leader’s tantrik astrologer, there was little likelihood of Pai refusing Narain a pass. But in view of the considerable embarrassment caused to the involved parties, Pai is unlikely to bestow a similar favour on Narain.
