National Events in December 1997
1st Dec
At least 61 persons, including 22 women and 17 children, belonging to SC and extremely backward communities are gunned down by banned private army of feudal landlords, Ranbir Sena, at Bathe-Lakshmanpur village in Bihar's Jehanabad district.
India re-elected to executive council of International Maritime Organisation for two years (1997-99) Mr. Pinto, M.P., from India, has also been elected vice-chairman of council.
Lok Sabha adjourns sine die for second time in a week after it met for a short while for tabling Prime Minister, Mr. I. K. Gujral's resignation letter and some reports.
4th Dec
Lok Sabha has been dissolved with immediate effect and new House is to be constituted by March 15 next.
World Bank commits to Haryana a loan of $600 millions (about Rs. 2,350 crores) - largest single Bank loan to any State.
5th Dec
Bangarappa quits Congress(I), charging Mr. Sitaram Kesri with helping in finishing off party by encouraging groupism.
6th Dec
Nine persons killed and over 60 injured in bomb blasts in three trains which left Chennai. Blasts occurred in Tiruchi, Erode (Tamil Nadu) and Thrissur in Kerala.
10th Dec
Mr. Salman Haidar appointed India's High Commissioner to Britain. He succeeds Mr. M. L. Singhvi.
11th Dec
Bihar Chief Minister, Mrs. Rabri Devi, makes it to Legislative Council defeating lone rival, Ms. Savithri Devi.
14th Dec
Congress(I) leader, Mr. Sitaram Kesri, and Rashtriya Janata Dal president, Mr. Laloo Prasad Yadav, meet over dinner to discuss prospects of electoral alliance.
15th Dec
Stand-off between Chief Election Commissioner, Dr. M. S. Gill and Election Commissioner, Mr. G.V.G. Krishnamurthy, over Shiv Sena issue worsens with the latter proceeding on leave for 9 days.
Orissa Janata Dal unit splits with 29 of 43 Legislature Party members forming `Biju Janata Dal'.
Magsaysay award winning litterateur Mahasweta Devi, Sitar Maestro Annapurna Devi and Rabindra Sangeet exponent Suchitra Mitra honoured with `Desikottam' by Visva Bharati University.
16th Dec
Madras High Court indicts former Chief Minister, Ms. Jayalalitha, for her decision to disinvest TIDCO shares in SPIC in favour of Mr. M. A. Chidambaram and Mr. A. C. Muthiah.
25-member United Front Ministry, headed by Mr. Wahengbam Nipamacha, sworn in at Imphal.
Ms. Mamata Banerjee, Congress(I) rebel, declares that she would seek recognition and separate symbol for her ``Trinamul Congress'' and contest elections on her own.
17th Dec
BJP and AIADMK strike alliance for Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry.
Wrangling between two constitutional functionaries in Election Commission ends, with Election Commissioner, Mr. G.V.G. Krishnamurthy, cancelling his protest leave and resuming work.
18th Dec
Supreme Court frees CBI from restraint in investigating cases of corruption in high places, vests superintendence in Central Vigilance Commission and directs fixed tenure of at least two years for its director.
19th Dec
Congress(I) and Rashtriya Janata Party of Gujarat reach agreement in principle to have alliance. Congress(I) also appears to have reached understanding on seat-sharing in Punjab with BSP.
21st Dec
Samata Party of Mr. George Fernandes to have alliance with BJP at the national level in Lok Sabha polls.
22nd Dec
Ms. Mamata Banerjee, rebel party MP, is expelled from Congress(I) resulting in split in West Bengal unit.
23rd Dec
Former Union Minister, Mr. P. R. Kumaramangalam quits Congress(I).
24th Dec
Congress(I) leaders Mr. P. R. Kumaramangalam and Mr. Aslam Sher Khan join BJP.
Congress(I) splits in Bihar with, Dr. Jagannath Mishra and Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav floating regional outfit, ``Bihar Jan Congress''.
25th Dec
Gujarat Assembly is dissolved.
RJP rebels form new party.
Prime Minister, Mr. I. K. Gujral is to contest Lok Sabha elections from Jalandhar, seat offered by ruling Akali Dal in Punjab.
Nearly 90 former Army Generals and senior defence officers join BJP.
26th Dec
Four MPs - Mr. Suresh Kalmadi from Pune, Mr. Anadi Charan Sahu from Cuttack, Mr. Mohan Delkar from Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Mr. Gopal Tandel from Daman & Diu resign from Congress(I).