The Prime Minister’s son, Rajiv Gandhi, was appointed general secretary of the All-India Congress (I) Committee. Announcing this, the Congress (I) working president, Kamalapati Tripathi said the appointment of C M Stephen as general secretary had also been formalised.
Assam Poll Orders
Through a curt confidential note, the Union government has sought to draft trainees in various central services into election duty in Assam. An order of the Home Ministry asked the trainees to “keep themselves in readiness to proceed at a moment’s notice.” The orders have been sent to hundreds of trainees. The orders, resembling surplus notices in military regimes, have greatly upset and enraged the trainees, many of them girls.
India-China Talks
Major differences between India and China persist on how to solve the Sino-Indian border question even after three rounds of official level talks. The third round of India-China official talks appear to have failed to narrow down major differences. Both governments recognise the border question as the most important issue between them.
Reddy Quits Punjab
Punjab Governor M Channa Reddy formally forwarded his resignation to the President. The letter of resignation reportedly requests Reddy be relieved from the post by February 6. Reddy who took up his present assignment hardly nine months back, on April 21, had apparently not been feeling at home in the gubernatorial position, and preferred to return to active politics.