40 Years Ago, Rajiv Gandhi said no to Gorkhaland

The Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, said there was no question of creating a separate Gorkhaland by dividing West Bengal. “No further amendment of the Constitution will be allowed for division of states,” he declared. Addressing a crowded press conference, the Prime Minister said the Union home and law ministries’ examination of the speeches, letters, cassettes available on the Gorkha National Liberation Front led movement in Darjeeling revealed that it was not aimed at achieving statehood. “Their major demand is that citizens of Nepal crossing over to India should be accepted as Indian citizens.”

India responds to Britain

India was cautious in its response to the draft extradition treaty presented by Britain. A spokesman for the External Affairs Ministry would not comment on whether the British Governments’ decision to have such a treaty amounted to a special concession. He hoped the British Government would use the provision of its existing laws, its political will, as well as the executive powers at its command to deal with issues pertaining to terrorist activities directed against India.

12 killed in Sri Lanka

At least 12 civilians were shot dead and several wounded when security forces opened fire in Sri Lanka’s eastern Batticaioa town, 303 km from Colombo, after five security personnel were injured in a car bomb explosion, Batticaloa Citizens’ Committee sources said. Batticaloa general hospital confirmed that 12 bodies had been brought to the hospital and that all but two bore gunshot wounds.

French attache shot dead in Lebanon

A French military attache was shot dead in Beirut and two French UN soldiers were wounded in a separate attack in south Lebanon, security sources said. The French Embassy said the attache, Col Christian Gouttierre, had been killed but gave no details. The security sources said Col Gouttierre died instantly after three unidentified gunmen fired at him in front of the embassy in the Christian East Beirut suburb of Mar Takla at 10.30 a.m.