February 17, 1981, Forty Years Ago: President’s address

President Sanjeeva Reddy told a joint session of Parliament that the country was “over the hump, economically and socially’’. The damaged national economy had been repaired and it was now necessary for everyone to strive for an identity of purpose rather than fritter away energies in fruitless controversies and conflicts. Inaugurating the budget session of Parliament, the President asked all sections of the community to “exercise restraint in demanding higher incomes and prices”. The economy, he said, was on the road to recovery but “demands for higher prices and incomes by various sections aggravate inflationary pressures and lead to a reduction of resources for investment and growth”.

Farmers in Delhi

Lakhs of farmers and city folk from all over the country, but mainly from neighbouring states, descended on Delhi, virtually paralysing normal life in the city. The crowd today at the Congress (I) Boat Club rally was probably the largest assembly witnessed so far in the capital. Several Delhi roads were closed to vehicular traffic. Estimates of the Boat Club rally varied. Congress (I) general secretary Kalpanath Rai, put the figure at five million. Police Commissioner P S Bhinder put it at 2.5 million. According to an unofficial CPWD estimate, the lawns cannot accommodate more than 8 lakh people.

Rail accident

At least 20 persons were killed and 15 injured when the Kanpur-Barauni passenger train rammed into the Oudh-Tirhut mail near Daronda railway station on the Chapra-Siwan section of North-Eastern Railways. The Oudh-Tirhut Mail was suddenly brought to a halt by passengers pulling the chain. The Kanpur-Barauni passenger rammed into the stationary mail, derailing the engine and five bogies. Till noon today, 12 bodies had been extricated from the wreckage.