lived in peace all these many years. There are voices of dissent there, I am not saying that there are not, but so are there in practically every country. There is hardly any country in the world, which has not some voices of dissent. The way to judge a situation is there peace or not, is the Government there going on normally, is education expanding, agricultural programme improving, industry expanding in Kashmir; all these things are happening. Everybody is free to go there. It is true that we have recently put some restrictions on one or two of their leaders. They are free to go anywhere, but not to enter Kashmir, because things are peaceful there and we thought that at this moment for some body to start trouble is not in the country's interest.
So, we have nothing to hide and, as I said, we shall not, certainly not, be the people to provoke a greater confrontation. But to think that the present situation can last is unrealistic. To think that the bitterness and hatred in the hearts of the East Bengalis can go without any positive action, is to be unrealistic. And, as a politician, one has to face the reality of the situation; it is not a question of what I think or what I want, it is a question of what exists, and what exists is that the people of East Bengal want to decide their destiny themselves. They do not want advice from me, and they will not take it even if I want to give to them. They are imbued today with the spirit of nationalism. It may be good. it may be bad, that is beside the point. But this is a situation which nobody can ignore. And that is why we think that the world should take interest, to try see that a political settlement is reached which will be lasting, and nothing will be lasting unless it is accepted by the people of East Bengal and their elected representatives.
Now, the Pakistan Government has announced that they will have re-elections. We certainly cannot understand it. The people who won the elections are here, they are alive. You can’t suddenly say these seats are vacant. Not only do they say the seats are vacant, but 55 people have been declared elected unopposed to some of those vacancies. It is an extraordinary position, and I don’t think any body who is concerned with democracy, with liberty, can accept this situation.
Further, the burden on India, not the economic burden, is tremendous. As I said a little while ago to another audience, when you are poor, you know you can be poorer. If you have not enough to eat, you are always willing to share what you have. We found that in our country and our experience has been that whether there is drought or whether there has been war, it is the poor people who have helped the most. Today, although the burden is a tremendous one, it is going to cost us a great deal, not just in moncy, it will cost us in development it will cost the promises we made to our people, of the programme of employment, every single programme; we are trying not to cut it, but I don’t see how it can remain whole, everything will have to be pruned. We have very heavy taxation already, and about a few days before coming, we had to put extra tax burden on every possible thing we could think of. And we just sat and thought, now what can be possible taxed, and we taxed. So, we have this enormous burden but I have confidence in my people. They have shown their capacity to endure any burden, to bear any type of suffering or sacrifice, and. today, if we have to do it for our unity, for our stability, for our freedom. I know that the people of India, and even the political parties which are otherwise completely opposed to me, I know that on this question, we stand as
