This is the front page of The Indian Express published on December 20, 1984.
Dec 20, 2024 08:20 IST First published on: Dec 20, 2024 at 08:20 IST
Vajpayee On PM
THE BJP PRESIDENT Atal Bihari Vajpayee, has questioned Rajiv Gandhi’s competence to lead the country. “In any crisis, major or minor, Rajiv Gandhi either loses his temper or he loses his nerve,” Vajpayee told a press conference on December 19. Ever since Gandhi was inducted into politics in 1980, “he has said and done many things which have left thoughtful Indians wondering about his ability and suitability for any high office,” Vajpayee said.
Kapil Dev: Back Cong
CRICKET STAR KAPIL Dev has appealed to sportsmen all over the country to come out in support of Congress-I. Addressing a press conference on December 19, Kapil Dev said that Congress-I, being the ruling party and having fielded more than 500 candidates for the coming elections, stood the best chance of forming a government at the Centre. “Therefore, in the interest of national unity and integrity, all people, including sportsmen, should support Congress-I,” said Kapil.
Free Jailed Akalis
SURJAN SINGH THEKEDAR, convener of the Akali Dal ad hoc committee, ruled out any talks with the Centre unless all the Akali leaders were released “unconditionally.” Talking to pressmen, he referred to the election speeches of the Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, and the Union Home Minister P V Narsimha Rao, that the Punjab issue would be resolved after the Lok Sabha elections and said that there was no question of any talks with the Centre when its leaders and workers were kept in jails.
Last Gas Traces
SCIENTISTS AND TECHNICIANS on December 19 began work to get rid of the last traces of the lethal liquid MIC which left a trail of over 2,000 dead and forced 300,000 residents to flee Bhopal city. A spokesman of “Operation Faith” at the Union Carbide plant told newsmen that by the middle of the day, two more tonnes of methyl-isocyanate would have been put into the charge pot, thus using up 14 tonnes of the gas.
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