NEW DELHI, India, Nov. 21, Reuter: Afghan refugees brandishing their fists and chanting anti-Soviet slogans clashed with police during a protest on Saturday against the visit to India of Soviet Prime Minister Nikolai Ryzhkov.
More than 100 Afghans were arrested as they tried to breach a cordon of 60 police after burning a Soviet flag in a park near the United Nations office.
Witnesses said’ police scuffled with the dragged away leaders of the protest organized by the Afghan Mujahideen (freedom fighters), Association in India.
The Afghans, mostly men, had gathered in the park after claiming police had refused them permission to hold protests and banned hundreds of them from leaving their homes during the visit of Ryzhkoy, who arrived on Friday.
The demonstrators, flourishing anti Soviet banners, shouted “down with bloody Russia, down with Ryzhkoy” and burned the Soviet flag before police closed in, Ryzhkoy, who held three-hour ” talks on Friday with Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, is scheduled to meet other senior Indian leaders and declare open a major Soviet festival in the capital before: leaving on Wednesday.
Moscow sent troops into Afghanistan in December, 1979, to back a staunchly pro-Soviet government.
The Soviet Union is India’s largest arms supplier and second largest trading partner.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 27, 1987
