This is the front page of The Indian Express published on August 14, 1984, Forty Years Ago.
Sri Lankan army troops set fire to the entire Tamil-dominated Manner town in retaliation against a guerilla ambush of a military convoy. Thirty Tamil extremists were reportedly killed in an encounter with the security forces at Kaithady, Chunnakam and Kayta. Ten extremists were killed in an exchange of fire at Kaithady and 15 while the army was clearing “roadblocks” set up by the extremists.
LA Olympics End
A light-radiating spaceship and a friendly “visitor” from another planet closed the 1984 Olympic Games in a dazzling science fiction sound-and-light show. With the Los Angeles Coliseum plunged into darkness, the mock spaceship, its lights changing colour against the background of ear-splitting “Star Wars” synthesiser music, hovered over the stadium.
NSA Amendment
Total chaos prevailed in the Lok Sabha when the National Security (second amendment) Bill, 1984, was being voted upon after a day-long debate. Amid strong protests from the entire opposition against the chair’s ruling that only one member of a party would be allowed to speak at the third reading stage, the Deputy Speaker, G Lakshmanan, announced, albeit inaudibly, that the bill had been passed and abruptly adjourned the House.
New Punjab Adviser
Several top-level appointments have been made as part of the Centre’s plan to revamp the Punjab administration. R V Subramaniam, who was heading the expert committee on Punjab, has been appointed an adviser to the Punjab Governor Satarawala. The appointment of S S Dhanoa, as the new chief secretary of the state, has been finalised. Both Subramaniam and Dhanoa have been asked to takeover their jobs on August 16.
