1.
SV & CU INT. MR SADIQ ALI READS RESOLUTION - SOF BEGINS: "THE WORKING COMMITTEE ... SOF ENDS: ...ACT OF DEFIANCE"
0.51

2.
SV COPIES HANDED TO NEWSMEN (NATSOF)
1.01

3.
GV EXT. DEMONSTRATORS MARCHING AND CHATTING (2 SHOTS) (SILENT)
1.22

4.
LV & CU MRS GANDHI'S RESIDENCE (2 SHOTS)
1.28

5.
SV MRS GANDHI AND CONGRESS M.P.'S OUTSIDE RESIDENCE (NATSOF)
1.54

6.
SV MRS GANDHI WAVES AND ENTERS HOUSE (NATSOF)
2.10


THE WORKING COMMITTEE HAVE GIVEN DEEP THOUGHT TO THE PAINFUL SITUATION RESULTING FROM A SERIES OF DEVELOPMENTS ... (VOICE DROWNED IN UPROAR). THE WORKING COMMITTEE IS, THEREFORE, REGRETFULLY OBLIGED TO REMOVE MRS INDIRA GANDHI FROM PRIMARY MEMBERSHIP OF THE CONGRESS FOR HER DELIBERATE ACT OF DEFIANCE ... (FURTHER UPROAR)".



THE RESOLUTION MADE THE CRITICAL SPLIT IN THE CONGRESS PARTY SEEMINGLY IRREPARABLE. WHILE MRS GANDHI CONTINUED WITH HER OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS, HER SUPPORTERS PLANNED A MEETING TO TAKE ACTION COUNTERING THE WORKING COMMITTEE'S RESOLUTION.



THAT ACTION CAME TODAY (THURSDAY), WHEN 350 OF THE 432 CONGRESS MEMBERS OF THE TWO HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT MET AND PASSED A UNANIMOUS RESOLUTION DECLARING FULL CONFIDENCE IN MRS GANDHI'S LEADERSHIP. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY SAID THAT THE BID TO REMOVE MRS GANDHI FROM PARTY MEMBERSHIP WAS "INVALID AND UNJUSTIFIED".




Initials AH/V/PN/PC



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE EXPULSION OF PRIME MINISTER MRS INDIRA GANDHI FROM INDIA'S RULING CONGRESS PARTY WAS OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED AT A WORKING COMMITTED MEETING OF PARTY LEADERS IN NEW DELHI YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY). THE MEETING WAS BOYCOTTED BY MRS GANDHI AND HER SUPPORTERS.

AT THE TIME OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT, DEMONSTRATORS MARCHED THROUGH THE STREETS OF THE CITY CHANTING SLOGANS SUPPORTING MRS GANDHI. THE PRIME MINISTER, HERSELF, CONTINUED HER OFFICIAL PROGRAMMED BY WELCOMING DELEGATES TO AN ASIAN HIGHWAY SEMINAR.

MRS GANDHI'S EXPULSION - FOR "GRAVE INDISCIPLINE" - WAS AGREED UPON BY 11 OF THE 21 WORKING COMMITTEE MEMBERS, HEADED BY THE CONGRESS PARTY PRESIDENT, MR. S. NIJALINGAPA. THEY CALLED ON THE PARTY TO ELECT A NEW LEADER IN PLACE OF THE 52-YEAR-OLD PRIME MINISTER.

IN A LONG OFFICIAL STATEMENT, MRS GANDHI WAS ACCUSED OF ATTEMPTING TO CONCENTRATE ADMINISTRATIVE POWER IN HER OWN HANDS AND OF ATTEMPTING TO OUST THE PARTY PRESIDENT.

NEWS OF THE EXPULSION HAD ALREADY BEEN GIVEN BY THE PARTY TREASURER, MR. S.K. PATIL. BUT THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE BY THE GENERAL SECRETARY, MR. SADIQ ALI: