This is the front page of The Indian Express published on July 29, 1984, Forty Years Ago.
The veteran Sikh religious leader, Baba Kharak Singh, announced his willingness to undertake kar seva in the Golden Temple complex and drew a retort from the Nihang chief, Baba Santa Singh, who said this could precipitate a confrontation. While Baba specified no condition, the SGPC, Sikh high priests and the Akali Dal demanded that security forces be withdrawn from the Temple to enable Baba to carry out his kar seva.
Dons let off
Succumbing to pressures from various quarters, the Maharashtra government has reportedly let off two underworld dons — Haji Mastaan Mira and Karim Lala — and 39 others who were arrested under the National Security Act for their alleged involvement in the recent eommunal riots in Bombay and other places. Their release has surprised many.
J&K white paper
The Jammu and Kashmir government has in a “white paper” said that the state Governor, Jagmohan, was not bound by the advice of the council of ministers in relation to the appointment of G M Shah as Chief Minister on July 3 after Farooq Abdullah lost majority in the Assembly. The 32-page document says that there is no clause in the Jammu and Kashmir Constitution which says that the governor is debarred from taking note of a “fact which is unmistakably proved before him.”
Dhaka-Delhi heat up
Bangladesh on Saturday expressed “surprise and disappointment” at a statement by the Home Minister, P V Narashimha Rao, that India will go ahead with plans to build an anti-immigrant fence along the border between the two countries. Rao told Parliament that India’s decision concerned no one else and that it would not be discussed with Dhaka.
