WORLD : 22 Killed as India Voting Starts
At least 22 people were killed today as India’s half-billion voters began casting ballots in general elections that threaten defeat for India’s Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
A polling officer who had a hand chopped off was among scores of people injured in the violence, a regular feature of elections in a country with the world’s biggest electorate.
Gandhi’s Congress Party condemned the violence, calling it a “murderous assault on democracy.”
It accused the main opposition Janata Dal party of using “fascist storm trooper” tactics to disrupt voting and called for fresh polls in three Haryana constituencies.
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