page_title: December 1970
section_title: December 17, 1970 (Thursday)
hierarchical_section_title: December 1970 / December 17, 1970 (Thursday)
caption_attribution_description: Józef Cyrankiewicz, Prime Minister of Poland (People's Republic of Poland) 1947-1970
context_page_description: The following events occurred in December 1970:
context_section_description: Poland's Premier, Jozef Cyrankiewicz, announced that he had authorized the People's Army of Poland to shoot at striking workers and demonstrators in an effort to suppress rioting.  The decree signed by Cyrankiewicz cleared the way for the use of weapons against "persons applying violent plots against the life and health of the population and the robbing and destroying of property", and shipyard workers were fired upon in Gdynia   By then, strikes had spread to the cities of Szczecin and Slupsk.  Poland's government rescinded the shoot to kill order on December 22 and fired Cyrankiewicz the next day "Poles' Premier Resigns Post", Santa Cruz (CA) Sentinel, transferring him to a ceremonial position.
  Mohammad Hidayatullah the first Muslim Chief Justice of India, retired on his 65th birthday as required by the Indian Constitution, making his final decision the authorship of the majority opinion in an 8 to 3 ruling that restored rank, pay and privileges to 278 maharajas who had their income and title taken away by presidential order.  Hidayatullah wrote that President V. V. Giri had attempted to exercise "political power transcending the constitution which he may exercise to the prejudice of the citizens" and added "Neither the paramountcy of the Grand Moghul nor the paramountcy of the British Crown has descended to him."    As the new oldest member of the Supreme Court of India, Jayantilal Chhotalal Shah was sworn as the new Chief Justice.  Noting that Shah had been born on January 22, 1906, The Guardian commented that "Every Buggins must have his turn.  J.C. Shah... will hold exalted office for precisely 45 days."  
  Born: Craig Doyle, Irish television sportscaster, in Wicklow
caption: Cyrankiewicz
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