| শিরোনাম | সূত্র | তারিখ |
|---|---|---|
| ওয়াশিংটনে ন্যাশনাল প্রেসক্লাবে প্রধানমন্ত্রীর বক্তৃতা ও প্রশ্নোত্তর | ভারত সরকারের পররাষ্ট্র মন্ত্রণালয় | ৫ নভেম্বর, ১৯৭১ |
PRIME MINISTER INDIRA GANDHI’S SPEECH AT THE NATIONAL
PRESS CLUB, WASHINGTON, NOVEMBER 5, 1971
I am delighted to be here once again with you all. I have met several of you in the meantime in India or in other parts of the globe. You have been given some description of my day. But perhaps all of you, who are acquainted with the life of anybody who is in politics, know that actually no two days are ever the same. And, as much as one would like to mediate and do various other such necessary and agreeable things, more often than not this remains in the realm of desire, rather than practice.
I find my relaxation and recreation when I am with people, and especially when I am with interesting people; such as in this hall today. Our time is limited, so I am not going to make a long speech. I am just going to mention a few points which may help you to formulate your questions. And, of course, anything that you are interested in will crop up in the question.
I was here just five years ago and I spoke to you then of what we have been trying to do in India. Much has happened in that time, not only in India, but in all parts of the world. But naturally, just now I am more concerned with my own country.
Doubts were expressed then in 1966, in my own country and by the world Press, including the Press in the United States, about our unity, our democracy and even our ability to survive. Well all I can say is here I am again. But we have gone through a period of darkness and difficulty, which even for a people accustomed to hardship has been exceptionally severe. We are now self sufficient in wheat and rice and other cereals, which are the staple diet of our people. With increasing expansion in irrigation facilities and fertilizer output break through are expected in other farm products as well. Our family planning programmes have had some impact. The census held this last March showed that our population was fourteen million less had been estimated.
Political changes in our party have taken place peacefully, giving greater coherence and sense of direction to our national life. Our confidence in our people was justified in our general election. On an average, sixty per cent of the people voted, not only in the cities but in the remote areas of the interior and in the mountains. The people gave me and my party a good majority. But what was special about the elections was the enthusiasm with which the people, and especially the young people, made it their own campaign.
The elections aroused new hope in our people and generated new energy and purpose in us. But today, your thoughts and mine are preoccupied with the crisis of Bangladesh, that is, East Bengal. There 100, elections were held. The fact that even under a military
