March 23, 1981, Forty Years Ago: Parleys in Gujarat

Leaders of the agitating medicos from Gujarat are scheduled to meet the prime minister tomorrow to discuss the complex issue of reservations for scheduled castes and tribes. The meeting has been fixed after the visit to Ahmedabad of Punjab governor Jaisukhlal Hathi, who had two rounds of talks with the medico leaders. The prime minister had sent Hathi as her special emissary to find a way out to break the deadlock on reservations. Hathi has since met the prime minister and reported the outcome of his parleys. According to a report from Ahmedabad, the agitating medicos have announced suspension of their agitation. Hathi feels that a workable solution would be evolved, and the agitation would be called off in the next few days.

Famine in China

China, which in the past has boasted of bumper harvests and a huge stockpile of food grains, is suffering from an acute famine and needs immediate relief worth Rs 5.6 million to 20 million people who have nothing much to eat. A high-level Chinese delegation is expected to arrive in Geneva next week to convince the US disaster relief organisation that its food needs are urgent and that it should get the requested food aid withdrawn.

Taimur faces revolt

A signature campaign in the Congress (I) legislature party in Assam for the removal of Anwara Taimur has pushed the state ministry to the brink of collapse. This is in spite of the high command’s emissary assuring the dissidents that their demands will be considered at a later date if the party stays united and helps Taimur survive.

Holi in Delhi

A general lack of enthusiasm amongst the elderly and sporadic incidents of violence marked Holi celebrations in the capital. Children, though, celebrated the festival with traditional enthusiasm.