1974 THE BIG BANG

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1947-2008-India-Roundup

On the morning of May 18, 1974, in the Pokharan desert, the ground shook violently as India conducted its first atomic bomb test, cloaking it as a peaceful nuclear explosion. In doing so, India became the world’s sixth nuclear power after the US, Soviet Union, Britain, France and China. The US took offence of India barging into the exclusive nuclear club angrily stating that India’s test would seriously undermine the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty of 1968 and trigger an arms race in the sub-continent. The US then blocked aid to India and imposed numerous sanctions.

FIRST CUT

• The first tripartite meeting between India, Pakistan and Bangladesh was conducted in Delhi.
• India’s first lion safari park was opened in Hyderabad.

India topped the list of US wheat buyers, with cash orders for 3.8 million tonne and another 3 lakh tonne expected to be delivered under the food-for-peace aid programme.

SINKING FEELING

Cause: The nation faced a food shortage of 8 million tonne and prices were up by 25 per cent. Effect: Indira Gandhi cracked down on striking workers.

“GANDHI JI SPOKE OF SWARAJ IN ONE YEAR. I SPEAK OF REAL PEOPLE’S GOVERNMENT IN ONR YEAR.”

Jayaprakash Narayan

“Give me one year to build a new country” declared prominent socialist Jayaprakash Narain when he called for a total revolution which became the rallying point for opposition to Indira Gandhi and dissent against the ruling Congress. The Gandhian, despite his advancing age, attracted huge crowds at rallies and his Citizens for Democracy movement gathered pace, eventually forcing Indira to impose the Emergency. JP, as he was known, campaigned against Indira during the post-Emergency election, leading to her loss in the Rae Bareily elections.

Snapshot Visit

On March 25, Iraqi Vice-President Saddam Hussein arrived in Delhi on an official visit. At the time, he was just as powerful as the then president Ahmed Hassan Bakr, but five years later, he officially became head of the state when Bakr resigned on July 16, 1979.

VILLAGE VISION

Shyam Benegal’s first masterpiece, Ankur, starring Shabana Azmi in the role of a villager, and Anant Nag as the feudal visitor who desired her, explored caste and class conflict in rural Indian society. Art cinema, finally, came of age.

ELSEWHERE…

A revolution in Portugal restored democracy.

In August, President Nixon became the first US president to resign from office, charged with conspiracy in the Watergate scandal. Gerald Ford became President (above).

The World Trade Centre, the tallest building in the world at 110 storeys, was inaugurated in New York City.

2.5 crore were unemployed. Currently, the figure is well over 4 crore.

15,000 workers were laid off by the Indira Gandhi Government during the year. The number of mandays lost came town from 210 lakh in 1973 to 160 lakh.

Courtesy By India Today