পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (চতুর্দশ খণ্ড).pdf/১৭২

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বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ চতুর্দশ খণ্ড
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constituent assembly, it would have led to his designation as Prime Minister of all Pakistan, India was greatly pleased by Mujib's victory, since he has been conciliatory towards the Indians. This, in turn, would have enabled India to cut down on the heavy cost, of defending its borders with Pakistan.

 But Pakistan's President Agha Mohd. Yahya Khan was loath, to let Mujib attain power, in the Central Government and he was even less inclined to grant greater autonomy to Last Pakistan. The subsequent crackdown by Pakistan's army, resulting in the slaughtering of hundreds of thousands of East Pakistanis has made a political settlement even more remote.

Ideological Cousins

 In the long run the Indians fear that they could be faced on their Lastern Border with an even more threatening force than the Pakistani army. There is a real danger that leadership of the Guerrilla movement in East Pakistan could pass from the shattered Awami League into the hands of the Naxalite, the ideological cousins of the Maoist extremists who have terrorized Calcutta and other pockets of Pastern India. What the Indians fear is an attempt to reunite India's West Bengal with Pakistan's East Bengal which have strong cultural and linguistic ties that could some day transcend the religious differences.

Gun Power

 A tough young Last Pakistani who calls himself a Naxalite told Time correspondent lames Shepherd “For the moment common enemy (of both the Awami League and the East Bengali Naxalite) is the Pakistan army. The arms that India gives to the Awami League will find their way to the Naxalites, and eventually we will fight not only the army but also the bourgeoistic and feudal elements, contemptuous of democratic process.” The Naxalite said scornfully: “Now the Awami League leaders are seeing the truth of the saying that the political power grows out of the barrel of the gun."

 The problem is that many Indians, too, are thinking of gun power. Even Swaran Singh, India's normally pragmatic Sikh Foreign Minister felt compelled to warn M Ps. Of the ruling New Congress Party during a meeting at week's end. “Unless there is a political settlement, India will be compelled to take action on its own."

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