* The Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to discontinue the 117 year old practice of the “Durbar Move” of government offices from Jammu to Sri Nagar and back. * In a meeting of the national executive of the B.J.P. held at Rohtak on April 17, the President Mr. L.K. Advani urged the Prime Minister to order an inquiry of an impartial nature with the Fairfax and submarine scandals as Swedish radio made startling disclosure. He urged the Prime Minister to step down during the pending of the inquiry.

* According to the Swedish radio, which quoted sources inside Bofors, the company won the biggest export order by giving bribes to Indian politicians and key defense figures through secret Swiss bank accounts. The firm was planning to pay a total of 100 million crowns (16 million dollars) to Congress (1) politicians.

* The Lok Dal General Secretary, Dr. Subramani Swamy, described the Swedish radio’s charges as “shocking and scandalous”. He said that according to his information the deal with Bofors was worth 1800 crores which yielded 100 crores in commission and fees to Indian agents living in the Jor Bagh and Vasant Vihar suburbs of Delhi and connected in kinship to top political figures of the Congress (I) by marriage. The stench of corruption can now be traced to the residence of Mr. Clean (the P.M) himself. It reveals the country is being looted” said Mr. Swamy. He continued, “It is bad enough to be corrupt with Indian businessmen but to indulge in corruption and be bribed by foreigners in matters relating to defense is totally antinational and a betrayal of the sacrifices made by the people during the freedom struggle.

 

* Mr. Chanderjit Yadav, President of the Janwadi Party criticized the Rajiv Gandhi government for the large scale collection of funds through kickbacks and in a dubious manner. “Mr. Rajiv”, he said, “has denigrated the office of President of India”.

* Barnala has failed to move the Centre on the release of Jodhpur detainees and a review of the Eradi Commission recommendations in respect of sharing of river waters.

* A senior advocate of the Punjab High Court, Mr. Harbans Singh Rai, has been appointed a Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

* The Sikh priests in a meeting with Mr. Sunil Dutt, MP. At Amritsar informed him that daily Sikh

Youths were picked up from villages and taken to UN described places. They were not produced in courts because no cases were registered against them. They remained “missing” and were often eliminated in “false” encounters or tortured to death.

Article extracted from this publication >>  May 8, 1987