This is the front page of The Indian Express published on May 4, 1980.

Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared in Bhubaneswar that those arrested in connection with the Assam movement would not be released “till the agitating organisations give a guarantee” that they would not resort to violence. Addressing an unscheduled press conference at the end of her one-day election tour of the state, Mrs Gandhi said that there was no point in releasing the leaders of the Assam movement when they were changing their stand every day. She reiterated that “it is not correct to say that the movement has been peaceful”. Many people have been killed, she added. She expressed regret at the statements by the leaders of the movement which she claimed had created panic among minorities.

Bahuguna’s switch

H N Bahuguna is likely to resign from Congress (I) and join the Congress, according to reliable sources. Bahuguna has already resigned from the party posts and his supporters have filed their nomination papers as independent candidates. They are being accommodated by the Congress. It is learnt that Bahuguna wanted party nominations for 35 of his men, 29 of whom were members of the dissolved assembly and had joined the Congress (I) along with him. The Congress (I), however, gave party tickets to only nine members.

Imphal Curfew

Night curfew has been imposed in the predominantly Nepali settlement of Kanglatandi and Kalapahar on the Imphal-Dimapur road, following tensions, official reports said. The reports said tension prevailed in the two areas lying near the foothills of Sadar Hills inhabited by Kuki tribals. Kanglatandi is a historic settlement of Nepalese ex-servicemen who manned an army ordinance base in Imphal during the Second World War. As many as 158 persons have been arrested in connection with the current violence in Manipur.