Editing Indira Gandhi (section)

== Assassination ==
{{Main|Assassination of Indira Gandhi|1984 anti-Sikh riots}}
[[File:Samadhi of Indira Gandhi (Shakti Sthala).JPG|thumb|upright|alt=Samadhi of Indira Gandhi|''[[Shakti Sthal]]'', the place where Indira Gandhi was cremated at New Delhi]]

{{quote box|bgcolor=#CCDDFF|width=25%|align=right|quote="I am alive today, I may not be there tomorrow&nbsp;... I shall continue to serve until my last breath and when I die, I can say, that every drop of my blood will invigorate India and strengthen it &nbsp;... Even if I died in the service of the nation, I would be proud of it. Every drop of my blood&nbsp;... will contribute to the growth of this nation and to make it strong and dynamic."|source=—Gandhi's remarks on her last speech a day before her death (30 October 1984) at the then Parade Ground, Odisha.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-remembering-indira-gandhi-on-her-29th-death-anniversary-1911491|title=Remembering Indira Gandhi on her 29th death anniversary|date=30 October 2013|website=dna|language=en-US|access-date=5 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150917081430/http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-remembering-indira-gandhi-on-her-29th-death-anniversary-1911491|archive-date=17 September 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=assassination>{{cite news|title=Last speech of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi prior to her assassination|url=http://www.indiastudychannel.com/resources/142182-Last-speech-Indira-Gandhi-at-Bhubaneswar.aspx|access-date=9 March 2013|newspaper=India Study Channel|date=21 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509182103/http://www.indiastudychannel.com/resources/142182-Last-speech-Indira-Gandhi-at-Bhubaneswar.aspx|archive-date=9 May 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>}}

On 31&nbsp;October 1984, two of Gandhi's [[Sikh]] bodyguards, [[Satwant Singh]] and [[Beant Singh (assassin)|Beant Singh]], shot her with their service weapons in the garden of the prime minister's residence at 1&nbsp;[[Safdarjung Road]], [[New Delhi]], allegedly in revenge for [[Operation Blue Star]].<ref name="The New York Times">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/01/06/world/india-hangs-two-sikhs-convicted-in-assassination-of-indira-gandhi.html|title=India Hangs Two Sikhs Convicted In Assassination of Indira Gandhi|last1=Crossette|first1=Barbara|date=1989|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=5 December 2017|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206074556/http://www.nytimes.com/1989/01/06/world/india-hangs-two-sikhs-convicted-in-assassination-of-indira-gandhi.html|archive-date=6 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The shooting occurred as she was walking past a wicket gate guarded by the two men. She was to be interviewed by the British filmmaker [[Peter Ustinov]], who was filming a documentary for [[Raidió Teilifís Éireann|Irish television]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/indira-gandhi-assassination-death-anniversary-things-to-know-operation-blue-star/1/799136.html|title=32 years of Indira Gandhi assassination, anti-Sikh riots: All you need to know|access-date=5 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171211003715/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/indira-gandhi-assassination-death-anniversary-things-to-know-operation-blue-star/1/799136.html|archive-date=11 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Beant shot her three times using his side-arm; Satwant fired 30 rounds.<ref name=smith>{{cite news |last=Smith |first=William E. |title=Indira Gandhi's assassination sparks a fearful round of sectarian violence |url=http://www.sikhtimes.com/bios_111284a.html |access-date=19 January 2013 |newspaper=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=12 November 1984 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103043002/http://www.sikhtimes.com/bios_111284a.html |archive-date=3 November 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> The men dropped their weapons and surrendered. Afterwards, they were taken away by other guards into a closed room where Beant was shot dead. [[Kehar Singh]] was later arrested for being part of the conspiracy in the attack. Satwant and Kehar were sentenced to death and hanged in Delhi's [[Tihar Jail]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19890131-indira-gandhi-assassination-trial-satwant-singh-and-kehar-singh-hanged-815690-1989-01-31|title=Indira Gandhi assassination trial: Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh hanged|date=31 January 1989|first1=Vipul|last1=Mudgal|first2=David|last2=Devadas|website=[[India Today]]|language=en|access-date=2 January 2020|archive-date=1 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801190305/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19890131-indira-gandhi-assassination-trial-satwant-singh-and-kehar-singh-hanged-815690-1989-01-31|url-status=live}}</ref>

Gandhi was taken to the [[All India Institutes of Medical Sciences]] at 9:30&nbsp;AM where doctors operated on her. She was declared dead at 2:20&nbsp;PM. The post-mortem examination was conducted by a team of doctors headed by [[Tirath Das Dogra]]. Dogra said that Gandhi had sustained as many as 30 bullet wounds from two sources: a [[Sten]] [[submachine gun]]<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,926929-2,00.html Indira Gandhi: Death in the Garden] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103050402/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,926929-2,00.html |date=3 November 2012 }} – ''TIME''</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=8QufTc6fAocC&pg=RA1-PA135 Fighting for Faith and Nation: Dialogues With Sikh Militants] – Cynthia Keppley Mahmood – Google Books</ref> and a [[.38 Special]] revolver. The assailants had fired 31 bullets at her, of which 30 hit her; 23 had passed through her body while seven remained inside her. Dogra extracted bullets to establish the make of the weapons used and to match each weapon with the bullets recovered by ballistic examination. The bullets were matched with their respective weapons at the [[Central Forensic Science Laboratory]] (CFSL) Delhi. Subsequently, Dogra appeared in Shri Mahesh Chandra's court as an expert witness (PW-5); he gave his testimony in several sessions. The cross examination was conducted by Shri [[Pran Nath Lekhi]], the defence counsel.<ref>T D Dogra's Expert Evidence in trial of assassination of Late Mrs. Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India (Witness No. PW 5) Raina Anupuma, Lalwani Sanjeev, Dogra TD, Dept. of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, AIIMS, N. Delhi. Indian Internet Journal of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Year: 2009, Volume: 7, Issue: 4</ref> [[Salma Sultan]] provided the first news of her assassination on [[Doordarshan]]'s evening news on 31&nbsp;October 1984, more than 10&nbsp;hours after she was shot.<ref>[http://www.indianexpress.com/news/the-riots-that-could-not-be-televised/536471/ The riots that could not be televised] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091205154910/http://www.indianexpress.com/news/the-riots-that-could-not-be-televised/536471/ |date=5 December 2009 }}. [[The Indian Express]] (3 November 2009). Retrieved on 21 May 2014.</ref><ref>[http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/We+the+eyeballs/1/1328.html We the eyeballs : Cover Story – India Today] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141215111034/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/We+the+eyeballs/1/1328.html|date=15 December 2014}}. Indiatoday.intoday.in. Retrieved on 21 May 2014.</ref>
[[File:PathOfMartyrdom.JPG|thumb|left|Today, the spot where Gandhi was assassinated is marked by a glass opening in the crystal pathway at the Indira Gandhi Memorial]]

Gandhi was cremated in accordance with Hindu tradition on 3&nbsp;November near [[Raj Ghat]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1984/11/04/indira-gandhi-cremated-in-hindu-ritual/124ca3f5-3121-4289-9c7d-51a953ab7b39/|title=Indira Gandhi Cremated in Hindu Ritual|last1=Claiborne|first1=William|date=4 November 1984|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=5 December 2017|last2=Sun|first2=Lena|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206010005/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1984/11/04/indira-gandhi-cremated-in-hindu-ritual/124ca3f5-3121-4289-9c7d-51a953ab7b39/|archive-date=6 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The site where she was cremated is known today as [[Shakti Sthal]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.delhiinformation.in/tourism/memorials/shaktisthal.html|title=Shakti Sthal – Delhi Information|website=www.delhiinformation.in|language=en|access-date=5 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180309021606/http://www.delhiinformation.in/tourism/memorials/shaktisthal.html|archive-date=9 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Paying homage, Gandhi's body lay in state at Teen Murti House. Thousands of followers strained for a glimpse of the cremation.<ref name="Hindu Ritual">{{cite news |title=Indira Gandhi Cremated in Hindu Ritual |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1984/11/04/indira-gandhi-cremated-in-hindu-ritual/124ca3f5-3121-4289-9c7d-51a953ab7b39/ |access-date=4 April 2020 |work=William Claiborne |agency=The Washington Post |publisher=Washington Post Foreign Service |date=4 November 1984 |archive-date=6 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206010005/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1984/11/04/indira-gandhi-cremated-in-hindu-ritual/124ca3f5-3121-4289-9c7d-51a953ab7b39/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Her funeral was televised live on domestic and international stations, including the [[BBC]]. After her death, the Parade Ground was converted to the Indira Gandhi Park which was inaugurated by her son, [[Rajiv Gandhi]].

Gandhi's assassination dramatically changed the political landscape. Rajiv succeeded his mother as prime minister within hours of her murder and anti-Sikh riots erupted, lasting for several days and killing more than 3,000 Sikhs in [[New Delhi]] and an estimated 8,000 across India. Many Congress leaders were believed to be behind the anti-Sikh massacre.<ref name="after riots">{{cite news |title=Anti-Sikh riots: What happened in 1984 and after? |url=https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/anti-sikh-riots-what-happened-in-1984-and-after-1.60501721 |access-date=4 April 2020 |work=Karuna Madan |agency=Al Nisr Publishing |date=21 November 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8306420.stm|title= Indira Gandhi's death remembered|date= 1 November 2009|work= [[BBC News]]|access-date= 25 June 2012|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091102113639/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8306420.stm|archive-date= 2 November 2009|url-status= live}}</ref>

=== International reaction ===
Gandhi's death was mourned worldwide. World leaders condemned the assassination and said her death would leave a 'big emptiness' in international affairs. In [[Moscow]], Soviet President [[Konstantin Chernenko]] sent condolences, "The Soviet people learned with pain and sorrow about the untimely death in a villainous assassination of the glorious daughter of the great Indian people, a fiery fighter for peace and security of peoples and a great friend of the Soviet Union". President [[Ronald Reagan]], along with Secretary of State [[George Shultz]], visited the [[Embassy of India, Washington, D.C.|Indian Embassy]] to sign a book of condolences and expressed his 'shock, revulsion, and grief' over the assassination. 42nd [[vice president of the United States]] [[Walter Mondale]] called Gandhi 'a great leader of a great democracy' and deplored 'this shocking act of violence'. Asian, African, and European leaders mourned Gandhi as a great champion of democracy and leader of the Non-Aligned Movement expressed its 'deepest grief' and called the killing a 'terrorist' act. [[Government of South Korea|South Korean]] President [[Chun Doo-hwan]], said Gandhi's death meant the 'loss of a great leader to the whole world.' [[Yugoslavia|Yugoslav]] President [[Veselin Đuranović]], [[Government of Pakistan|Pakistani]] President [[Mohammad Zia ul-Haq]], [[Government of Italy|Italian]] President [[Sandro Pertini]], [[Pope John Paul II]] at the [[Vatican City|Vatican]], and [[Government of France|French]] President [[François Mitterrand]] condemned the killing. At the [[United Nations]], the [[United Nations General Assembly|General Assembly]] paused during its work as shocked delegates mourned the death. Assembly President [[Paul Lusaka]] of [[Zambia]] postponed a scheduled debate and hastily organized a memorial meeting.<ref name="morning">{{cite news|title=World leaders condemned the 'senseless' assassination of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/10/31/World-leaders-condemned-the-senseless-assassination-of-Indian-Prime/1907468046800/ |access-date=4 April 2020 |work=VALERIE STRAUSS |agency=UPI.COM |publisher=United Press International |date=31 October 1984}}</ref>