The front page of The Indian Express on December 22, 1985, presented a pivotal moment in Indian regional politics alongside significant international developments. The day's headlines were dominated by the imminent formation of a new government in Assam and events unfolding in South Africa and Sri Lanka.
Prafulla Mahanta's Rise in Assam
The president of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), Prafulla Mahanta, was almost certain to be elected as the party's leader in the state legislative assembly. This election would pave the way for him to head the government in Assam. The AGP had secured a decisive victory, commanding an absolute majority in the 126-member assembly by winning 64 seats. Furthermore, the party demonstrated its strong mandate by winning six out of the twelve Lok Sabha seats declared at that time.
International Headlines: From South Africa to Sri Lanka
In a significant move in South Africa, police forcibly removed Winnie Mandela, the wife of imprisoned African National Congress leader Nelson Mandela, from her home in Soweto. She was taken to a hotel outside Johannesburg. Authorities stated that while her previous exile to the remote town of Brandfort was cancelled, she remained barred from entering Johannesburg.
Back in India, Finance Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh addressed concerns over recent tax raids. He offered to consider amendments to tax laws to ease implementation issues but firmly opposed any relaxation in the ongoing raids targeting industrialists and businessmen. Singh explicitly denied allegations that the actions were selectively aimed at those unfriendly to the government.
Reported Violence in Sri Lanka's Jaffna
A grim report emerged from Sri Lanka, where the Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front claimed that over 100 Tamils were feared killed in firing by Sri Lankan security forces from helicopters in several parts of northern Jaffna. The group described the casualty figure as a "conservative estimate," stating that security forces used 15 helicopters to fire upon civilians and drop bombs. The situation was reported to be dire, with Jaffna hospital overcrowded with many injured people admitted for treatment.
This day in 1985, therefore, captured a world in flux—marked by democratic transitions, political struggles against apartheid, domestic economic policies, and tragic ethnic conflict.
