HT This Day: October 4, 1982 -- Maneka leads massive rally against Press Bill | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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HT This Day: October 4, 1982 -- Maneka leads massive rally against Press Bill

By, Patna
Oct 03, 2022 04:41 PM IST

All-India Sang Vichar Manch president Maneka Gandhi today led an impressive procession of SVM activists and supporters to Raj Bhavan where she presented to the Governor a memorandum requesting the President to withhold his assent to the “black” Bihar Press Bill.

All-India Sang Vichar Manch president Maneka Gandhi today led an impressive procession of SVM activists and supporters to Raj Bhavan where she presented to the Governor a memorandum requesting the President to withhold his assent to the “black” Bihar Press Bill.

HT This Day: October 4, 1982 -- Maneka leads massive rally against Press Bill
HT This Day: October 4, 1982 -- Maneka leads massive rally against Press Bill

The memorandum said this draconian legislation was intended to throttle democracy by gagging the Press and suppressing the growing voice of public protest against the “utter failures” of the Jagannath Mishra Government on all fronts of State activity.

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The procession led by Mrs Maneka Gandhi was the biggest so far to condemn the Bihar Press Bill and demand its immediate withdrawal. As she marched in a procession from Gandhi Maidan to Raj Bhavan, men, women and children in thousands lined both sides of the five-km route to have a glimpse the SVM leader. The open jeep in which she was leading the procession was fitted with mikes ant decorated with SVM posters, be sides a life-sized portrait of the late Sanjay Gandhi.

As soon as the slogan-shouting processionists reached the Bailey Road railway crossing near the secretariat, steel-helmeted police men armed with lathis and rifles and supported by tear gas squads halted them and they were warned against breaking the security cordon around the “protected area” including the VIP enclave and Raj Bhavan.

In the meantime. an executive magistrate came running to Mrs Maneka Gandhi to tell her that the Governor is waiting for her in his chamber. The magistrate, however, made it clear that he would like to meet her in a delegation and not in a procession.

Mrs Maneka Gandhi readily accepted the suggestion and asked the processionists not to enter the protected zone. She was then allowed, along with a few other SVM leaders, to move in the same jeep, to Raj Bhavan where she had a closed door discussion with Governor A. R. Kidwai for about ten minutes.

UNI adds.

A heavy armed police force including Central Reserve Police and women constables was deploy ed to deal with any situation. After the police removed the cordon to allow Mrs Maneka Gandhi to go to Rai Bhavan, a large number of her followers managed to enter the prohibited zone and reach the Raj Bhavan complex. They were, however, stopped outside the main gate where they raised slogans.

The memorandum urged the Gov cruor to dismiss the “corrupt” Bi har Ministry and recommend President’s rule in the State temporarily.

Later, talking to newsmen before her departure for Delhi at the end of her two-day visit to Bihar, Mrs Maneka Gandhi said she would con the Sanjay Gandhi Vichar Manch into a political party some time next year. The draft manifesto of the proposed party was being prepared, she added.

MUZAFFARPUR: Mrs Maneka Gandhi yesterday ma an impassioned appeal to the people of Bihar to join the struggle launched by the Manch against the – all pervasive corruption under, the present regime.

Addressing a series of impromptu public meetings on her way from Patna to Muzaffarpur. Mrs Maneka Gandhi said that people’s support to her was the most required as “Akeli Maneka” (she alone) could not do anything. She, referred to the large-scale arrests of important Manch leaders.

Mrs Maneka Gandhi was given a massive reception all along the 75 km Patna-Muzaffarpur route. Welcome arches were set up at all important points.

According to PTI, Mrs Maneka Gandhi cancelled her programme of a night halt at the circuit house here and left for Patna immediately after the public meetings.

While some reports said her cutting short the visit was due to “difference” among local Vichar Manch leaders, the latter attributed it to frequent power failures.

SULTANPUR: Twenty more SVM workers were arrested during the weekend taking the total number of arrests for defying the prohibitory orders to 170.

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