'1993: Key Events

• Communal violence spreads in Bombay and Ahmedabad, with the Bombay death toll in the aftermath of the Ayodhya riots rising to 550.

• The movie star Sanjay Dutt is arrested under the TADA Act. The Government of India decides to implement the Mandal Commission recommendations, providing for 27% reserva- tion for socially and educationally backward castes in the Central Services.

• The Hazratbal mosque in Kashmir is taken over by terrorists.

• The Latur earthquake obliterates over 40 villages in Maharashtra.

• Bill to regulate Cable TV introduced in the Lok Sabha.

• Five more Doordarshan channels are launched. Murdoch’s STAR-TV acquires 49.9% shares in the ZEE-TV network.

• Controversy over the ‘Choli ke peeche’ song in Subhash Ghai’s Khalnayak.