Six ministers go

Press, 3 July 1978, Page 8

Six ministers go

New Delhi 1 The Indian Prime Minister ! (Mr Desai) will take tempor- t ary charge of the portfolios ' of the two ministers of his Cabinet who have resigned, I it has been officially an- t nounced in New Delhi. i The Home Minister (Mr t Charan Singh) and the < Health Minister (Mr Raj Na- c rain) were forced by Mr Desai to quit after making t stinging attacks on the 15- J month-old Government. t Four junior Ministers who J are members of Mr Singh’s c

Indian People’s Party, a constituent of the Janata Party, also resigned in sympathy with their leader. Mr Desai will hold the Home and Health portfolios until he reshuffles his Cabinet and appoints new Ministers, but there was no official indication when the changes would be made. Newspapers speculate that the Defence Minister (Mr Jagjivan Ram) is likely to be chosen to head the Home Ministry, generally considered a key post.

Mr Singh denounced the Government on Wednesday for failing to take quick legal action against the former Prime Minister, Mrs Gandhi, on the basis of the findings of a Government commission of inquiry into her 21-month emergency rule.

Despite the action against him, Mr Singh, aged 75, had decided to remain in the party. Political observers feel this will create even greater problems for the party leadership.