NEW DELHI: Oct 31, Reuter: Hundreds of thousands of people swarmed into Delhi on Monday for rival rallies — one to celebrate assassinated Indian leader Indira Gandhi and the other to protest against her son’s agricultural policies.
Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was to address what his Congress (l) party hoped would be a crowd of one million people on the fourth anniversary of the assassination of his mother and predecessor by her bodyguards.
Congress was forced to shift the site of the rally to the grounds of the ancient red fort because protesting farmers last week occupied the laws near parliament where such gatherings are usually held.
Farmers demanding better prices for their crops and lower electricity rates were heavily reinforced on Monday by colleagues, who travelled from other parts of North India,
Police estimated 300,000 farmers who had entered Delhi by late Monday morning to join 10,000 colleagues occupying the lawns.
The streets of Delhi were full ‘of groups of chanting people, heading for one rally or the other, but there were no immediate reports of trouble.
The farmers rally has been largely peaceful, but farmers said two of their colleagues were killed in a clash with police on Sunday as they tried to bring in food. Police would not confirm or deny the charge.
Apart from one incident in which police fired teargas at a group of farmers, although blaring. Western pop music broadcast on loudspeakers late into the night appeared to be an effort to drive them away.
The farmers demands present Gandhi with a dilemma, yielding to them would cost large amounts of money. Ignoring them could cost large number of votes.
The opposition which promises to help the country’s poor, has thrown its weight behind the farmers. Agriculture provides a living for 80 per cent of India’s 800 million people.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 4, 1988
