From the Archives - dated October 13, 1966

October 13, 2016 12:02 am | Updated 01:30 am IST

India will help Bhutan: P.M. warns Chinese

The Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, reiterated again to-day [October 12] that if Bhutan was threatened, India would go to its aid. Mrs Gandhi, who was addressing jawans somewhere at the foot of the Himalayas, said there was no fighting now but the situation on the border continued to be tense, with minor incidents. She recalled reports of Chinese intrusions into Bhutan recently in this context. The Prime Minister said India sought the friendship of the neighbours but that did not mean it was weak. “We are prepared to meet any aggression”, she said and added that the Indian Army was stronger now than before. So long as the army was well-equipped and the people were solidly behind the army, no one could defeat us, she said.

Reports from Gangtok yesterday [October 11] said the Chinese troops were still entrenched in the Doklan pastures of south-western Bhutan where they intruded last month. Mrs. Gandhi said the Government was fully alive to the difficulties of the troops, especially with regard to their families. She assured them of Government’s solicitude, for their welfare. She said that she was glad to notice that the relationship between the public and the jawans was more cordial than ever before, particularly since last year’s conflict.

Trust to help film trade

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting intends to set up a trust for the film industry. The trust will mop up surplus funds of the industry and plough back them to finance films, set up cinemas, and help needy artistes. The Ministry has forwarded a detailed scheme for the working of the trust to the Finance Ministry. Film artistes would gain from the scheme as it would meet their demand for relief from income-tax. They have often complained that they have to pay heavy income-tax when their earnings are sizable in a particular year but in lean time they do not get adequate relief. Under the scheme they can deposit their surplus earnings with the Trust without paying income-tax. The money will be given back to them after 10 to 15 years in annual instalments on which they will have to pay income-tax. Besides, the Trust funds will be used to provide money to producers who cannot make quality films for the fear that they might not prove box-office hits. The Government will also gain from the scheme, though indirectly, as the cinemas run by the Trust will bring more entertainment tax to the State Exchequers. The Finance Ministry is likely to take a decision on the scheme in a few days.

New Yorkers in ecstasy over Ram Bhajan

Kneeling under a tree in a Lower East Side park and occasionally dancing, 50 followers of a Hindu swami repeated a 16-word chant for two hours recently to the accompaniment of cymbals, tambourines, sticks, drums, bells and a harmonium. Repetition of the chant, Swami A. C. Bhaktivedanta says, is the best way to achieve self-realisation in an age of destruction. While children played on Hoving’s Hill — a pile of dirt in the middle of Tomkins Square Park — or bicycled along the walks, many in the crowd of about 100 persons standing around the chanters found themselves swaying or clapping hands in time to the hypnotic, rhythmic music. “It brings a state of ecstasy”, said Allen Ginsberg, the poet, who was one of the celebrants. “For one thing, the syllables force yoga breath control; that’s one physiological explanation.” The ecstasy of the chant, or mantra – “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare; Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare” — has replaced LSD and other drugs for many of the Swami’s followers, Mr. Ginsberg said.

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