1986 Archive: Rajiv Gandhi in Zambia, USSR Nuclear Moratorium, and Loan Scandal
This archival review from The Indian Express highlights key global and domestic events from May 15, 1986. In international diplomacy, Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi held discussions with Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda in Lusaka, focusing on regional stability and economic cooperation. Consequently, a delegation of Zambian economic experts was scheduled to visit India to explore expanded trade ties. On the global stage, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev extended the USSR’s unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing until August 6, citing the Chernobyl disaster as a stark warning against nuclear war. He expressed willingness to meet US President Ronald Reagan in Europe to negotiate a ban. Domestically, the Delhi High Court rejected a defense plea regarding the constitutionality of the three-judge bench hearing appeals for convicts in Indira Gandhi’s assassination case. Additionally, the article critiques a major financial scandal termed the 'Reliance Loan Mela,' alleging that crores of rupees were siphoned from banks through brazen schemes to divert public funds for private gain, contrasting this with earlier political loan distributions.
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