Opinion March 28, 1985, Forty Years Ago: Initiative On Punjab

This is the front page of The Indian Express published on March 28, 1985.

Mar 28, 2025 07:11 IST First published on: Mar 28, 2025 at 07:11 IST

The government may announce a fresh initiative on Punjab. Governor Arjun Singh and his senior adviser, R V Subramaniam, in Delhi for consultations with the cabinet committee and the Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, are believed to have brought the lists of Akali detainees for a review of their cases and possible release. Even the possibility of holding an inquiry into the November riots has reportedly been discussed.

‘No Plot To Kill PM’

Dr Jagjit Singh Chauhan went out of his way to deny a report that a plot was being hatched in his so-called Khalistan house to kill Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi during his forthcoming visit to Paris, Washington, Cairo and Algeria. In a letter to Gandhi, he said, “I have no intention of causing you even a minor injury let alone killing you.”

Uproar In Lok Sabha

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The Lok Sabha witnessed uproarious scenes during question time when Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi attempted to explain the controversial remarks he made last week on Calcutta in the Upper House. CPM members, agitated over Gandhi’s observation that Calcutta was a “dying city”, clashed with those on the treasury benches when they said the rules did not permit the Prime Minister to refer to his remarks in the other House.

UK Migration Rules

Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s government has announced an almost total ban on doctors and dentists from abroad coming to work in Britain. The Social Services secretary said immigration rules would be tightened from April 1. The London Times said the rules are aimed particularly at doctors from the new Commonwealth — the “Black”, “Brown” and Asian countries of the association — and dentists from predominantly White Australia.