Wheat imports
Countrywide austerity, intensification of internal procurement and exploring all available sources for wheat imports — this is how the Congress Parliamentary Party’s Executive Committee to-day [November 23, New Delhi] decided to meet the difficulties expected on the food front in January and February on account of the U.S. “freeze” on food imports. The Union Food and Agriculture Minister, Mr. C. Subramaniam is understood to have told the Executive that negotiations were afoot with Canada, Australia and the Soviet Union for wheat imports. A party spokesman said that no figures could be given at this stage when negotiations were in progress. The Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, is understood to have indicated that the Soviet Union’s assistance was being sought on the food front as Russia had had a bumper crop after two or three difficult years. She also stressed that whatever was possible should be done at the voluntary level. The Executive was informed that the quantities already agreed to be shipped to India by the U.S. would be arriving till the second week of January. Thereafter there would be a pause in U.S. wheat arrivals if the “freeze” continued. The Executive Committee set up a small committee consisting of Dr. Ram Subhag Singh, Mrs. Renuka Ray, Mr. H.C. Mathur, Mr. Bhagwat Jha Azad (Convener) and the three Secretaries of the Party to go into details of the austerity measures to be adopted throughout the country.
Puri Acharya on fast
It is reliably learnt that His Holiness Sri Sankaracharya of Puri, now on a fast demanding legislation to ban cow-slaughter, will continue his fast for twelve days. The Jagadguru, who is under preventive detention in Pondicherry, was cheerful to-day [November 23], the fourth day of his fast, Mr. U. Vaidyanathan. Chief Secretary to the Pondicherry Government, told PTI over trunk telephone. The Chief Secretary said Sri Sankaracharya had said he was on a religious self-purificatory fast. The Jagadguru was performing his routine pujas. He was taking only Ganga water which he had brought with him from Delhi. The Jagadguru was not showing any signs of sickness. He was able to talk and was cheerful, Mr. Vaidyanathan said. Mr. Vaidyanathan said the Swamiji had said he was satisfied with the arrangements made for his stay and did not want to shift to any other building. He was quite comfortable where he was. According to Mr. Vaidyanathan, no need had arisen for the services of a doctor to attend on the Jagadguru. He, however, indicated that a routine check up of his health might be made to-morrow [November 24]. No visitors were being allowed to see His Holiness, the Chief Secretary said. Sri Sankaracharya is being attended on by his disciple, Shri Om Prakash Brahmacharya, who arrived in Pondicherry this afternoon [November 23] from Delhi. Mr. T. Sivasankar, Lt. Governor of Pondicherry met the Jagadguru both late last night [November 22] and to-day morning [November 23]. Mr. V. Venkatasubba Reddiar, Chief Minister of Pondicherry, also called on him this evening [November 23].
India urges ban on nuclear tests
India to-day [November 23] called for the suspension of all nuclear tests in all media and an early conclusion of a comprehensive test ban treaty as the best and most effective non-proliferation agreement. Recalling the solemn declaration of intent of the signatories in the Moscow Test Ban Treaty about taking measures towards complete and general disarmament, the Indian delegate, Mr. V.C. Trivedi, speaking in the Assembly’s main Political Committee, said to-day [November 23, United Nations] a comprehensive test ban was indeed the “touchstone of determination of the nuclear weapon powers to implement the declaration of intent”. India and other non-aligned countries have tabled the resolution before the committee calling for adherence to the Moscow Test Ban Treaty by those who have not yet signed it and for suspension of underground nuclear tests pending conclusion of a comprehensive test ban treaty.
