PROCESSION; POSTERS; NAKED SADHUS; COWS; POLICE OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT BUILDING.




Initials GEM/VISLIV/RM/BB



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: FIVE PEOPLE WERE FEARED DEAD AND AT LEAST 200 INJURED IN CLASHES WITH POLICE OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS IN NEW DELHI TODAY (MONDAY) WHEN A HUGE CROWD OF HINDUS DEMONSTRATED AGAINST THE SLAUGHTER OF COWS. OUR LIBRARY FILM SHOWS A SIMILAR, BUT PEACEFUL, DEMONSTRATION ON 6 SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR.

IN SEPTEMBER, THE HINDUS, WHO REVERE COWS AS SACRED ANIMALS, MARCHED IN PROCESSION TO THE PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS. THERE, THE NAKED SADHUS, OR HOLY MEN, LEADING THE PROCESSION OF BELIEVERS AND COWS MET A LINE OF POLICEMEN GUARDING PARLIAMENT, AND THE DEMONSTRATORS DISPERSED WITHOUT INCIDENT.

BUT TODAY A SIMILAR PROCESSION ENDED IN WILD CLASHES, AND THE ARMY HAD TO BE CALLED IN TO CONTROL RAMPAGING MOBS. ABOUT SEVENTY POLICEMEN WERE AMONG THE INJURED, AND ONE WAS KILLED IN THE ATTEMPTS TO CONTROL HINDUS CHANTING "STOP KILLING OUR HOLY MOTHER COW".

GANGS OF YOUTHS LOOTED AND BURNED BUILDINGS AND CARS NEAR PARLIAMENT, AND A 48-HOUR CURFEW WAS IMPOSED ON THE INDIAN CAPITAL.