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Indira Gandhi convicted of election fraud

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1975

June 12

Indira Gandhi, the prime minister of India, is found guilty of electoral corruption in her successful 1971 campaign. Despite calls for her resignation, Gandhi refused to give up India’s top office and later declared martial law in the country when public demonstrations threatened to topple her administration.

Gandhi was the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of the independent Republic of India. She became a national political figure in 1955, when she was elected to the executive body of the Congress Party. In 1959, she served as president of the party and in 1964 was appointed to an important post in Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri’s ruling government. In January 1966, Lal Bahadur Shastri died, and Gandhi became head of the Congress Party and thus prime minister of India. Soon after becoming India’s first female head of government, Gandhi was challenged by the right wing of the Congress Party, and in the 1967 election she won only a narrow victory and thus had to rule with a deputy prime minister.

In 1971, she won a resounding reelection victory over the opposition and became the undisputed leader of India. That year, she ordered India’s invasion of Pakistan in support of the creation of Bangladesh, which won her greater popularity and led her New Congress Party to a landslide victory in national elections in 1972.

During the next few years, she presided over increasing civil unrest brought on by food shortages, inflation, and regional disputes. Her administration was criticized for its strong-arm tactics in dealing with these problems. Meanwhile, charges by the Socialist Party that she had defrauded the 1971 election led to a national scandal. In 1975, the High Court in Allahabad convicted her of a minor election infraction and banned her from politics for six years. In response, she declared a state of emergency throughout India, imprisoned thousands of political opponents, and restricted personal freedoms in the country. Among several controversial programs during this period was the forced sterilization of men and women as a means of controlling population growth.

In 1977, long-postponed national elections were held, and Gandhi and her party were swept from office. The next year, Gandhi’s supporters broke from the Congress Party and formed the Congress (I) Party, with the “I” standing for “Indira.” Later in 1978, she was briefly imprisoned for official corruption. In 1979, divisions with the ruling Janata Party led to the collapse of its government. New elections were held in January 1980, and the Congress (I) Party, with Indira as its head, won back the lower Indian parliament in a stunning reversal of its political fortunes. Gandhi, embraced by Indians who valued her strong leadership, was again prime minister. The legal cases against her were subsequently dismissed.

In the early 1980s, several regional states intensified their call for greater autonomy from New Delhi, and the Sikh secessionist movement in Punjab resorted to violence and terrorism. In 1984, the Sikh leaders set up base in their sacred Golden Temple in Amritsar. Gandhi responded by sending the Indian army in, and hundreds of Sikhs were killed in the government assault. In retaliation, Sikh members of Gandhi’s own bodyguard gunned her down on the grounds of her home on October 31, 1984. She was succeeded by her son, Rajiv Gandhi.

AuthorHistory.com Editors

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ACF hails Gov. Yusuf 50% slash down of school fees, says the move is exemplary

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The Arewa Consultative Forum( ACF) has hail the 50% reduction of school fees for indigent students by the incumbent Governor, of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf as exemplary and worthy to emulate by other governor’s.

Gov. Yusuf has recently cut down 50% reduction in the registration fee for the 2023/2024 academic session for all Kano State indigenes studying regular courses at the Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil, Yusuf Maitama Sule University Kano, Sa’adatu Rimi University of Education, Kumbotso, Audu Bako College of Agriculture, Dambatta and other state owned tertiary institutions accross the state to cushion  the worsening economic situation people have been going through. 

While reacting to the governor’s initiative, the Chairman of the forum, Dr. Goni Farouk Umar  described the decision as both revolutionary and a hallmark of visionary leadership. 

He noted with delight the Kano State government’s resolve to restore its foreign scholarship programme designed to sponsor 1001 best graduates which demonstrates the government compassion that resulted in the payment of N700million registration fees for 700 Kano State students at the Bayero University Kano. 

The ACF leader noted that both the slashing of the fees in state owned institutions, and the off-setting of the BUK fees would go along way to ease the burden on parents and the students occasioned by the current economic hardship. 

Dr  Umar who describe education as power, and pivot in society’s advancement, prayed for the successful implementation of the government’s pro-poor education policies.

 He also appealed to all sections of the community to support educational development in all facets. 

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Nigeria’s President Tinubu say’s country’s pilgrim who return $80,000 to owner in Saudi is a pride of all.

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President of Nigeria, Mr  Ahmed Bola Tinubu will honour Zamfara pilgrim Hajiya A’ishatu ‘Yan Guru Nahuce who found $80,000 in Saudi Arabia during the last Hajj exercise and return the money to it’s rightful owner. Chairman Zamfara State Hajj Commission, Alhaji Musa Mallaha has revealed.

Mallaha disclosed that the president is overwhelmed by the act of honesty exhibited by the female pilgrim hence he directed the National Hajj Commission to organize a national press conference to interview the woman for record keeping while in Saudi.

When the directives was given by the president according to Mallaha, the woman was already airlifted back to Nigeria adding that arrangements are in top gear to ensure the presidential directives is implemented as soon as possible.

Mr. Mallaha who revealed that president Tinubu expressed delight and pointed out that Hajiya Nahuce has brought respect and honour to her country Nigeria said the commission’s preparation towards the national press conference in Nigeria now will include the State governor, Dauda Lawan keying into the activities.

Mallaha further said that her honesty is a pride to all Muslims accross the globe.

The woman during the last excise stumbled into the money while performing Tawaff at the Ka’abah, she said that she kick the bag of the money to a distance for fear of been trample upon if she bow down to pick it up because of the large crowd. An Arab Pilgrim who saw her action pick the bag and gave it to her thinking that it was hers.

Mrs. Nahuce who was sponsored to Hajj by her son’s revealed that it was her first trip to the holy land.

She further revealed in an interview that, she took the money to the officials of her local government Hajj commission and handed it over. The officials met Saudi Authorities and within few days the owner was found and the money was returned to him.

She commented that she was not aware of the magnitude of her action until she was back home to Nigeria where she understands that the news went viral before her arrival

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Nigerian Army neutralize 7 bandits, comb bush for others in Zamfara

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Nigerian Army neutralized seven Armed Bandits while several others flee with gunshots wounds in the late hours of Monday. 

The bandits in large number according to reliable source attempted to infiltrate and attack the troops at Kango Sabuwa. The gallant troops of Sector 1 Operation Hadarin Daji in conjunction with troops deployed at Forward Operating Base Wanke were steps ahead of them.

This was achieved by the troops in an ambush operation along the route suspected to be used by the Bandits.

The troops Shortly after the encounter proceeds in pursuit of other fleeing wounded bandits, recovered 1 Machine Gun, ammunition and 6 Motorcycles from the armed bandits.

The Commander Joint Task Force Northwest Operation Hadarin Daji, Major General Godwin Mutkut commends the troops for their bravery and resilience in dealing with the Armed Bandits.

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