‘Death to Shultz’ chant at New Delhi

Press, 1 July 1983, Page 6

‘Death to Shultz’ chant at New Delhi

NZPA New Delhi The American Secretary of State, Mr George Shultz, in New Delhi in an effort to smooth relations between the United States and India, was greeted yesterday by a crowd of Communist demonstrators chanting “Death to Shultz!” and “Shultz Go Home!”

Two hundred demonstrated at the sweltering New Delhi airport, 1000 demonstrators circulated antiAmerican leaflets at the American Embassy, and at Agra the police cleared away another group of demonstrators chanting “Shultz Go Home!”

In a brief airport speech, Mr Shultz said that his

meeting with the Prime Minister, Mrs Indira Gandhi, and other leaders would be in the spirit of strengthening and expanding friendship between the United States and India. Skirting such sensitive issues as Afghanistan, the Middle East and American military aid to Pakistan, and nuclear proliferation, Mr Shultz said that the United States and India shared a common goal of creating a world family free from poverty, from armed aggression, and from repression. In another apparent fence mending gesture, Mr Shultz said that he had written to the External Affairs Minister, Mr P. V. Narasimha

Rao, confirming that the United States is committed to the unity and territorial integrity of India. The demonstration at Delhi airport was sponsored by the Communist Party of India which recently normalised relations with the ruling Chinese Communist Party. Two larger demonstrations outside the American Embassy were organised by the Communists and the trade union of the governing Congress (I) Party. About 400 Communists were arrested at the embassy. After an hour at the airport Mr Shultz took off for Agra, 200 km south of New Delhi, where he went to see the Taj Mahal.