This is the front page of The Indian Express published on March 12, 1985.
Mar 12, 2025 06:55 IST First published on: Mar 12, 2025 at 06:55 IST
The Soviet President and Communist Party General Secretary, Konstantin Chernenko, died at the age of 73 after a grave illness and was succeeded by Mikhail S Gorbachev — long considered Chernenko’s number two — as the party chief. The oldest person to hold the top post, Chernenko was in office for the briefest period — just under 13 months compared to the 15 months of his predecessor, Yuri Andropov.
Gorbachev takes over
With the election of Mikhail Sergeevich Gorbachev to the post of general secretary of the CPSU, the leadership of the Soviet Union has passed into the hands of a new generation born much after the October Revolution. Born on March 2, 1931, he recently celebrated his 54th birthday. Known as an agriculture wizard, he made his mark in political life by transforming the Stavropol region into a rich granary.
Akalis out of jail
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The government has ordered the release of eight important Akali leaders who were in detention under the National Security Act, including Akali Dal president Harchand Singh Longowal. Ironically, two top leaders, G S Tohra, president of the SGPC, and Parkash Singh Badal, former Punjab chief minister, have not been released. There is a case against Tohra on charges of waging war against the government.
Shastri’s Audi
The Board of Control for Cricket in India has decided to request the government to waive the customs duty, as a special case, on the Audi car won by Ravi Shastri, declared champion of champions in the World Championship of Cricket in Melbourne. Under normal circumstances, the combined duty would have been about as much as the value of the car (about Rs 4 lakh).
