This is the front page of The Indian Express published on July 4, 1984, Forty Years Ago.
Follow the drama which led to the dismissal of Farooq Abdullah’s ministry, there seems to prevail an uneasy calm in the Kashmir Valley. An informal curfew is in place in Srinagar and other towns in the Valley. The capital is under the watchful eyes of the CRPF, the Border Security Force and men from the MP Armed Police. The army is being kept on alert for any summons from authorities.
J&K’s New Deputy CM
IN THE NEW 15-member ministry headed by G M Shah in Jammu and Kashmir, D D Thakur has been appointed the Deputy Chief Minister. Thakur, who had previously headed departments of finance and law in Sheikh Abdullah’s Cabinet, will be in charge of finance, planning and development, besides power development and labour.
Akal Takht Damage
THE ARMY MAY be withdrawn from Harmandir Sahib if tension due to its presence in the Golden Temple complex materialises. Government is keen to commence repair work in the Akal Takht and other damaged portions during the Army action. Arrangements for “kar seva” are demanded by some from the Sikh community. However, a start could not be made as a demand was put forth for the withdrawal of the Army before the seva started.
Floods Rage On
Floods in Maharashtra continued unabated while the situation improved in West Bengal. The death toll in Maharashtra rose to six in the last two days while the rain-fed rivers, especially in the Konkan region continued to be in spate. Official sources in Bombay said the Shashtri, Vashishti, and Jagbudi rivers in the Konkan region and Doodhganga river in the Kolhapur district were overflowing.
