September 22, 1981, Forty Years Ago: PM on Punjab

The Prime Minister is going to Chandigarh on September 22 to study the situation in Punjab after the violence two days ago in the wake of the arrest of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. She has kept herself in touch with developments in the state on Monday through intelligence reports. Home Minister Giani Zail Singh discussed the situation with the cabinet and home secretaries. He apprised Mrs Gandhi of the latest developments. The PM, it is believed, has doubts on whether Chief Minister Darbara Singh will be able to handle the situation. She is also worried because she will be on an 18-day tour abroad. She has, therefore, asked the Chief Minister to call an all-party meeting on Tuesday to seek the cooperation of the Opposition in maintaining peace and harmony in the state. She also wants to take the Opposition into confidence in dealing with the situation.

Antulay’s future

The mystery around Mrs Indira Gandhi’s inability to find a successor for Maharashtra Chief Minister A R Antulay remained unsolved. There is a chance of Antulay being given a reprieve till the second week of October, when the PM returns to the country. The central leadership is keen to settle the future of the trusts floated by Antulay before removing him from office.

Haryana no-trust

The Haryana Vidhan Sabha rejected a no-trust motion against the Bhajan Lal government by 50 votes to 37. The motion tabled by the BJP, Lok Dal and the Janata Party was the first against the government.

Power crisis

Due to an acute power crisis in the entire northern region, the Centre has asked DESU to curb power consumption. The directive follows the curtailment of power from Bhakra for Delhi with immediate effect.