Forty Years Ago, December 1, 1980: PM on prices

The Bihar government has acted at last. It has suspended 15 police officials and instituted 14 cases in the scandalous blinding tragedy involving undertrials lodged in the Bhagalpur central jail.

Prime Minister Indira Gandhi warned of a further rise in the prices of petrol and other petroleum products because of the continuing war between Iran and Iraq. If the Gulf War, already three months old, did not end, petroleum prices would go up beyond the control, the PM told her party workers at a meeting in Rae Bareli. Later, talking to newsmen, Mrs Gandhi also ruled out the possibility of any changes in the leadership of Uttar Pradesh. She said: “There is no question of a change in the leadership of the state. Why should there be a change at all when the state is moving ahead under the leadership of Vishwanath Pratap Singh?”

Bhagalpur blindings

The Bihar government has acted at last. It has suspended 15 police officials and instituted 14 cases in the scandalous blinding tragedy involving undertrials lodged in the Bhagalpur central jail. Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra said this action followed “prime facie” evidence of “negligence of duty” against 12 sub-inspectors, two inspectors and one deputy superintendent of police. He said all these police officials, already sent out of Bhagalpur district, would be facing departmental proceedings. Mishra’s announcement comes in the wake of the statement made by the Union Home Minister Zail Singh in the Lok Sabha that he had asked the CM to take “stern action” against police officials concerned.

PM breaks down

PM Indira Gandhi broke down at the district development conference in Amethi while speaking about her son, late Sanjay Gandhi. At one stage, her voice choked and her eyes filled with tears. Her sobs seemed uncontrollable, but she composed herself. “Sanjay had his baptism through fire the likes of which I had seen during the freedom struggle. And this was his battle against the concerted attack by the entire opposition aided by western forces,” she said. “It is the duty of everybody to translate into reality the deeds and dreams of Sanjay,” she told the people.

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