The Indian Express, August 15, 1980, forty years ago

President Sanjiva Reddy has expressed concern over the serious law and order situation in the country created by the growing social inequality. This had led to an increasing tendency among people to “resort to violence to ventilate the slightest of their grievances”, he told the nation in his Independence Day eve broadcast. The President said India is the largest democracy in the world with a successful parliamentary system. But “we have yet to learn the hard way, through trial and error the social dimension to the economic progress made since independence”. He also stated that “rising prices and the growing disparity between the rich and the poor had been widening the gulf between the few haves and the have-nots” and the deprived masses are left with “little hope of any better life in the foreseeable future”.

Moradabad Toll

The death toll in the Moradabad clashes reached 102 tonight, though officially it was stated to be 86. The dead included four policemen, and D P Singh, executive officer of the Municipal Board. Among the official toll of 81 dead, 20 were killed by gunshots, nine were stabbed and 52 including 23 children died in the stampede. These figures were given by D V Mehta, Senior Superintendent of Police, Bareilly, who has taken charge from Vijaynath Singh, SSP, who was injured in the clash. Five policemen were said to be still missing.

Rajiv’s Election

It is now certain that Rajiv Gandhi will resign his Indian Airlines job and run for Parliament. He is likely to contest the Lok Sabha by-election from the Allahabad constituency. Choosing the constituency seems to have been a bit of a problem. There were two views about the constituency he should stand from. Sanjay Singh, UP Youth Congress-I President, and his group reportedly wanted him to fight from Amethi.