January 12, 1982, Forty Years Ago: Polish turmoil

Violent clashes between workers and strike-breaking military authorities were reported from Poland but Warsaw radio indicated that the country was calm and hard at work. The military government said union leader Lech Walesa was broken and weeping. The French Premier, Pierre Mauroy, has been told that there have been 45,000 arrests in Poland and 17 people killed in incidents since the military take over. Reports reaching Western diplomats in Bonn said that water cannon and baton charges were used against supporters of the Solidarity union. The diplomats said troops were brought to break strikes in Warsaw, Katowice and Gdansk, where there were unconfirmed reports of violence when the troops move in to clear the shipyards.

Diplomatic row

India conveyed its unhappiness to Pakistan over the refusal of permission to the Indian ambassador in Islamabad, K Natwar Singh, to visit the northwest frontier province. The Pakistan ambassador in Delhi, Abdus Sattar, was told that such behaviour was uncalled for. Pakistani diplomats don’t face such discrimination, he was told, when he called on the foreign office at his own initiative, by Foreign Minister P V Narasimha Rao.

Bihar officers’ strike

The crippling strike by Bihar non-gazetted officers entered the sixth day with no sign of a solution. While the various employee unions are sticking to their stand on the implementation of the recommendations of the pay revision commission, Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra announced that 200 officers who had joined the strike were suspended.

Cold wave

parts of Bihar, UP, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir are reeling under a cold wave. The deaths due to cold rose to 10 in Bihar.