FORTY YEARS AGO

divisive forces which had been trying to drag the country towards violence and chaos. In the course of her electioneering tour of the northeastern region, Mrs Gandhi addressed public meetings at Jorhat, North Lakhimpur and Silchar in Assam, Kohima and Mokokchung in Nagaland, and Imphal in Manipur. Defending the promulgation of Emergency, Mrs Gandhi said it had to be taken recourse to in order to meet the challenge of an abnormal situation. She reassured the people that Emergency would not be continued for ever.

JANATA REBUTTAL

THE JANATA PARTY today challenged the prime minister’s reported statement that “the prime minister represents the entire country”. In a statement the party said: ‘‘For the people of India, the prime minister is nothing more than a leader of the majority party during the elections.” The statement said there was no substance in the claim that the prime minister represented the entire country. This might be true when the prime minister was visiting foreign countries or addressing the UN Assembly. But would it be true when the person holding prime minister’s office was seeking reelection on a party ticket? If Mrs Gandhi’s claim was true, was it proper for her to address a Congress election meeting as prime minister?