Express front page, June 15, 1980. (Express archives)

The Gana Sangram Parishad joined issue with its students’ allies, saying it will not favour any flexibility on its basic stand of adhering to the 1951 National Register of Citizens in seeking a solution to the foreigners problem. In a rejoinder to yesterday’s statement by the All Assam Students Union, the Parishad said, “Without adherence to the NRC of 1951, there can be no question of a settlement. Identification of foreigners would be next to impossible if the NRC is not taken as the basis.” The AASU had yesterday shown a marked flexibility in its basic stand on the controversial cut-off line in declaring that it would not insist on strict adherence to the 1951 NRC and was prepared to accommodate even the post-1951 immigrants.

Loco Strike End

After two rounds of talks with the leaders of the striking locomen, the railway authorities claimed that an agreement has been reached to end the strike by a section of the Northern Railway locomen. A spokesman of the Railways said that the strike would probably be called off tomorrow after the representatives of the Loco Running Staff Association sign the agreement. The signing of the agreement has been postponed to tomorrow because the leaders wanted to discuss the details of the agreement with representatives of their branch offices.

US Arms For India

The United States intends to sell India 62 launchers, 630 practice missiles and 3,724 regular tow missiles and associated spare parts and training equipment. They will cost $32 million. The Pentagon said the tow missiles will “assist the Indian Army to improve its anti-tank capability and will help foster an improved relationship between the United States and India”. The soldier firing the tow keeps the tank in the cross hairs of his sight, and the missile flies into it through impulses transmitted by wires which trail out from the missile.