Presented by Leonard Parkin ITN. Ken Rees reporting in New Delhi. PM Mrs Thatcher at Heathrow Airport. Interview with Benazir Bhutto. Community leaders in Southall:  Jaspal Singh Bhambra, Gen Sec Ramgaria Sabha and Ram Parkash Verma, Secretary of the Hindu Temple in Southall.

“Hundreds are dead and injured in the communal riots after the death of Mrs. Gandhi. But the passions are cooling and the distress of the famine areas of Ethiopia where the UN say a million could die of starvation even though helps on the way. A report from Ken Rees in India and a report from Joan Thurkettle in Ethiopia in a moment. In the studio, Hindu and Sikh leaders join in an appeal for peace in the streets here. And Benazir Bhutto, the daughter of the former Pakistan president, on the political future of the subcontinent now. Other stories today, Svetlana, Stalin’s daughter disappears. She’s gone back to Moscow after 17 years. The Leeds police shooting, the dead sergeant knew his killer and the Coal Board tell the miners who go back to work there’s a £650 Christmas pay packet.

As world leaders head for India for the funeral of Mrs. Gandhi, there have been new riots, despite curfews and the presence of armed troops. Thirteen are reported to have died. But generally things are calmer than yesterday. The surviving assassin has told police that a senior army officer was behind the murder. Hundreds have been killed and wounded in the violence that followed. Focusing on the capital New Delhi, it’s quietened since the army was ordered into the streets. But from Bombay comes the threat of attacks on foreign leaders. 1200 cracked troops are flying into New Delhi, but protection can’t be guaranteed. Princess Anne who is representing the Queen at the funeral will return home immediately afterwards.

The new Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi has made a fresh appeal for calm. On radio he said this madness must stop. Thousands of Indians continue to pay their respect to Mrs. Gandhi. Since early yesterday there have been queues outside her childhood home where she’s lying in state, before tomorrow’s funeral. She’ll be cremated in public and buried next to her son Sanjay. For some, the emotion is too much. In New Delhi, cleaning up is going on and the city is preparing for the funeral.

Ken Rees reports.

The army has orders to shoot looters and troublemakers on site as Delhi begins clearing up after its worst riots for nearly 40 years.  

At least 60 people died, hundreds more were injured, as Hindu mobs took their revenge on the Sikh community for the assassination of Mrs. Gandhi by two Sikhs. During the night, Sikhs were pulled from cars, some burnt to death or beaten up.

Ken Rees, ITN

Many Hindus were also injured as the clashes continued. A first count this morning revealed over two and a half thousand burnt out vehicles, while scores of homes, factories, shops and businesses were burnt out by frenzied mobs. There are reports coming in now of shooting in parts of the city.

The widespread violence of yesterday has calmed down this morning, but a curfew is still in force. Foreigners have been trapped in their luxury hotels in the city centre, including the members of the English cricket touring team. Already the first two matches of the tour have been cancelled. The rest are in jeopardy. They sat in their hotel this morning, anxiously awaiting news, worried about what might await them on the streets.

Obviously, we’ve come out here to try and place the cricket. That’s always been the idea. Events have overtaken somewhat. We are in the hands of others who know better, as it were, to decide how safe we are and what we ought to be doing.

Eventually, the team were taken under escort to the British High Commission, where, on the carefully manicured lawns, they attempted a light practise session. It’s almost the only place in India where they could safely practise today and it certainly delighted the few small boys who turned up to watch.

On the streets, almost no one is to be seen. Normally, this city centre boulevard would be crowded with thousands of people. Now troops and police outnumber members of the public. Almost all shops are closed. Already there are shortages of food, water and other essentials. There’s no public transport either, so long as the curfew lasts.

Only in one place were they working today, at the field where tomorrow Indira Gandhi will be cremated, according to Hindu tradition. It’s just a few hundred yards from the shrine of Mahatma Gandhi. Without question, it’ll be one of the biggest funerals ever seen in recent years, as well as these thousands of visiting dignitaries, heads of state and other VIPs. Some three or 4 million people are expected to try to follow the funeral procession as it wends its way through the streets of Delhi. And only then, when it’s over, can India begin to address itself to the really important and for some, worrying question. How is India going to get on without Mrs Gandhi at the helm after seventeen long years. Ken Rees, News at One New Delhi.

Well, the seriousness of the violence in India has prompted more calls for calm amongst Indian communities in Britain. Here in the studio, a Sikh and a Hindu leader have joined me to emphasise the need for restraint.

Mr Bambra, if I could come to you first, how do you assess the strains which are on the Sikh and the Hindu communities in England now?

Well, the strains are rather serious, but we have been living together for years in Southall and in England as one community. Our stress to our youth and the seniors has been over the last few days to keep calm and let this community, the streets of London and Southall are not going to solve the problems of situations in India and the best situation we can help is to keep calm and keep peaceful.

Mr Varma, how do you assess it?

Well, at the assassination news was a bit shocking to all of the Indians, except a few. But the people wanted their sentiments provoked and all that. But the community leaders, both Sikhs and Hindus, tried to calm them and we are happy that we have been successful in keeping the peace over there.

I mean, do you get on well together, view of you?

Yes, we are on very friendly terms and last night we had a condolence meeting called by Mr, the community leader, and Mr Bhamra was the chairman and I was also invited to speak there.

Now you two are here, obviously in a spirit of friendship. How do you translate that back into your communities?

Well, we translate in our normal Indian way, hugging each other and living together.

Are we going to see any of that in Southall? In Bradford? In Birmingham?

Well we don’t see anything at all of that type.

What you did see yesterday or day before was a small bunch of irresponsible characters, roaming the streets of Southall. If you notice, there was no leadership with that lot, from either section of the community, Hindus or Sikhs. So we hope and we pray, we wish and we’ll endeavour to keep peace in the area. And this is a message to all Hindus and Sikhs in the United Kingdom to maintain.

Jaspal Singh Bhambra, Gen. Sec Ramgaria Sabha

And obviously, Mr Varma, you would endorse that?

Yes, I would strongly endorse it. And the thing is that apart from this, all Hindus and Sikh are together on social functions, marriages and all that. It’s even going on. And it has been only because the Sikh and Hindus blood is mixed. One some my two daughters, they are married in Sikh families.


Ram Parkash Verma, Secretary of the Hindu Temple in Southall

Well, no, I’m afraid we must leave it. Let’s hope your appeal doesn’t fall on deaf ears, Mr Varma. Mr Bhambra, thank you very much indeed.

Well, despite those security worries in India, British political leaders are leaving Heathrow Airport about now to attend Mrs Gandhi’s funeral. Mrs Thatcher was accompanied by Mr Kinnock, Mr Steele and Dr David Owen as representatives of the four main parties in Britain. It’s only three weeks since Mrs Thatcher herself survived an assassination attempt under the extra armed Special Branch detectives with the party.

Are you concerned about your own security in Delhi?

One is no longer concerned about one’s own security, Prime Minister.

It must have crossed your mind though, surely?

Oh, yes, it’s just something one lives with.

Do you find something ironic that you’re going to India when the Foreign Office has warned Britain’s not to go to India?

I find something deeply distressing about the assassination of Indira Gandhi. I don’t know whether everyone realises just how great that loss is. For nearly sixteen years, she was Prime Minister of India and she and her family probably did more for India than any family can claim they’ve ever done for any country.

Mrs Thatcher on her way to Delhi. Well, someone who knows the work of the Gandhi family and the politics of the subcontinent very well is Benazir Bhutto. Her father was the President of Pakistan until he was overthrown by a military coup and then executed by the new regime. Ms Bhutto is now an opposition leader in exile. Ms Bhutto, it’s obviously by any analysis, a destabilising effect for the whole subcontinent. What is likely to be the developments there now?

It is a matter of concern, much depends on several factors. The first factor is whether the assassination of Mrs. Gandhi was an act of individuals or whether there was a deep seated conspiracy behind it.

Well, you probably heard that we mentioned that one of the assassins, the one who survived said of a senior army officer, was behind it.

Well, what plans did they lay? For instance, if the elections go ahead, will they try to disrupt the elections? These are the imponderables. Secondly, there is the question of the gap left by Mrs. Gandhi. Will heterogeneous India be able to remain united? Will freedom remain in India? These are questions which will directly affect the neighbouring countries.

Those are the questions. What’s your own view about the answers?

Well, I remember when Mrs. Gandhi took over, many people thought that she was going to be a very managable person, but she asserted her control and she asserted her influence. The same kind of doubts are now being expressed about Mr. Rajiv Gandhi. But I think he’ll rise above them. He’ll rally the nation, he’ll go to the people, seek their mandate. And once he has the mandate, I think he’s going to rally the people to keep India united and free.

Now, he hasn’t got an enormous amount of political experience, will the magic of the name help him?

It’s not only the magic of a name, but it’s a matter of a symbol. For the millions of masses in India, Mrs. Gandhi was not just the daughter of Nehru, but she was the symbol of an idea of a secular India. India devoted to the eradication of poverty. When Mr. Rajiv Gandhi will get the endorsement of the people, he will get it because he represents the same values. So it’s true that he has come into politics lately, but I think that if you have the support of your own people, you can face any challenge.

And what about relations between India and Pakistan?

This is something of great concern to us. Mrs. Gandhi and my father, when he was the elected prime minister of the country, had signed a similar agreement which laid the basis for an honourable and just peace between our two countries. The longest time of peace that the two nations have seen is that period. We hope that the peace process continues. We hope that the instability in India does not generate further instability in the region. We don’t want war and of course now we’re going to be concerned.

Benazir Bhutan. Thank you very much.”

Mrs Thatcher interviewed at Heathrow Airport before leaving for India.