Prime Minister's Stern Warning on Terrorism
On November 12, 1985, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi delivered a powerful address in Gurdaspur, emphasizing the critical need to combat terrorism in Punjab. While laying the foundation stone for the prestigious Thein Dam project, Gandhi cautioned citizens against repeating past mistakes that had hindered peace and development in the region.
The Prime Minister stated that terrorism was once again showing its horrible face in various parts of Punjab and needed to be eliminated permanently. He stressed the importance of strengthening democracy and ensuring that those attempting to undermine it would not succeed.
Key Political Developments
In significant electoral news, Chief Election Commissioner R K Trivedi announced that elections for 14 Lok Sabha seats and 126 Assembly constituencies in Assam would be held on December 16, 1985. Additionally, all pending by-elections across the country were scheduled for the same date.
The election commission confirmed that updated electoral rolls for all 125 Assam constituencies would be published shortly after addressing claims and objections from various stakeholders.
National Security and International Incidents
A surprising development emerged as the State Trading Corporation created a rush among licensed firearm owners by announcing the sale of imported sophisticated small arms to the general public. The corporation had originally imported these pistols and revolvers during 1978-79 but faced legal challenges due to pricing disputes with dealers.
Neither the arms dealers nor STC marketing manager V K Narain disclosed the final outcome of the court case that had delayed the sales for several years.
In international news, Lebanese police confirmed the recovery of at least six Indian nationals' bodies in Beirut and northern towns. Beirut newspapers reported these individuals had died in communal clashes that occurred over the preceding six weeks.
Meanwhile, in Sri Lanka, landmine explosions claimed the lives of 11 security personnel, including seven policemen and four soldiers, with four others injured in separate incidents. The first explosion targeted a police jeep on the Allai-Kantalai Road in Trincomalee district, approximately 225 kilometers from Colombo. A subsequent blast near Vakarai in Batticaloa resulted in additional casualties among military personnel.
