July 84. Prime Minister Indira GANDHI instigated another attempt at centralizing the government of India by ousting the freely-elected Chief Minister Farooq ABDULLAH.
GANDHI has feared secessionist tendencies in the strategic state of Jammu and Kashmir, where Muslims outnumber the Hindus. ABDULLAH represented a growing threat since he forged an alliance with islamic zealot Maulvi FARROQ and afterwards joined with other politicians from other states whose intent was to form an anti-Gandhi alliance for the national elections which are to be held in January 1985.
Last week (July 2), 6500 soldiers and police enforced a curfew as black flags flew in protest over the ousting of ABDULLAH.