Plea For Calm By Mrs Gandhi

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31633, 20 March 1968, Page 6

Plea For Calm By Mrs Gandhi

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) CALCUTTA, March 19. The Indian Prime Minister (Mrs Indira Gandhi) has made a special flight from New Delhi to Calcutta to appeal for calm as the rioting between Hindus and Moslems continues.

Police opened fire yesterday when a violent mob tried to attack a slum colony in the centre of the city and the West Bengal Governor (Mr Dharma Vira) ordered anyone found stabbing, looting or' burning to be shot on sight. Six people have died and many have been injured in the riots in Calcutta and Allahabad, in North India, where police also opened fire yesterday on a mob armed with stones, knives and acid bombs.

“This type of thing is very bad. It weakens the nation,” Mrs Gandhi said as she visited some of the injured in a Calcutta hospital. “It is the duty of the people of India to maintain peace and amity, in the interest of the nation as well as in their own interest.”

In a broadcast appeal, Mrs Gandhi called on the peaceloving people of all communities to curb the mischiefmakers.

“In a country of India’s size there are sometimes disturbances or tensions,” she said. “But whatever the reason, what is important is that it should be realised that only a few people are mischief-makers.”

The rioting began on Friday, when the exuberance of. revellers celebrating the Hindu spring carnival. Festival of Holi, led to religious Clashes. Mrs Gandhi has called for a report on the situation in Allahabad, where 25 cases of arson were reported. The police arrested 300

people, and district officials decided to impose a punitive tax on people “engaging in riotous activities.” School examinations, due to begin today, have been postponed for four days.