Forty years ago, November 8, 1979: Janata candidates

The agitating Indian Oil workmen are likely to call off their 14-day-old go-slow protest tomorrow to facilitate resumption of talks between the leaders of the nine unions and the government authorities. This optimistic scenario has emerged after informal talks which the leaders, Y D Sharma and Raja Kulkarni, had first with the cabinet secretary and later, with the petroleum minister. This was followed by consultations with the workers’ representatives. The All-India Petroleum Workers Federation leaders have called an urgent meeting of the representatives of the nine protesting unions early tomorrow morning for a final decision.

American hostages

The former attorney general and well-known liberal and civil rights leader, Ramsey Clark, and a senate intelligence committee member, William Miller, left Washington last night for Teheran with a letter from President Carter to secure the release of the American hostages held in the embassy there. In his letter, presumably addressed to Ayatollah Khomeini, Carter reportedly seeks to assure the Iranians that the United States will not arm the Khurds who are in rebellion. Carter has appealed for the release of the hostages. Clark and Miller have been authorised by the White House to assure the Iranians that the Shah will not be given asylum in the USA.