পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (দ্বাদশ খণ্ড).pdf/২০৯

এই পাতাটির মুদ্রণ সংশোধন করা হয়েছে, কিন্তু বৈধকরণ করা হয়নি।
বাংরাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ দ্বাদশ খণ্ড
১৮৩
শিরোনাম সূত্র তারিখ
দিল্লী বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ে প্রধানমন্ত্রী ইন্দিরা গান্ধীর ভাষণ[১] ‘ইয়ার্স অফ এণ্ডীভার’ ১০ ডিসেম্বর, ১৯৭১

WHY THIS FIGHT

 I AM HAPPY to be with you, to see your enthusiasm and to talk to you although I have nothing particularly new to tell you. What are we fighting for? We are fighting not only for our territory and honour but also for some high ideals which this country has upheld during the past several centuries. I am happy that in the present war not only our brave officers and soldiers but the people as a whole, including the students, are taking part in one way or the other. I am thankful to you for the purse of Rs. 1,01,000 which you have presented to me for the welfare of the Jawans. I am sure that you will be the pioneers in every work which the nation undertakes.

 Students have played an important part in the freedom movement of their country, whether in India or abroad. If the student community had not been in the forefront of our struggle for freedom, we would not have achieved the success that we got. For the past many years, we have been trying to strengthen that freedom. Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. We must always act so as to strengthen our unity and do so with firmness and courage. Also, these actions of ours should be meaningful for the people as a whole.

 We have achieved a lot and yet you must be aware that we have not able to shape our destiny as we wanted to. Poverty and backwardness are obstacles in the way of the common man getting the fruits of freedom. Our people are not able to enjoy all the rights of a free citizen. While you have the opportunity to study in a university, there are lots of people in this country who do not yet have this privilege. Our freedom will remain incomplete so long as we are not able to give full opportunity for development every village, be they in the plains, on the mountains or in the deserts.

 We are proud of continuously treading the path we have chosen for ourselves. Many have been our weaknesses and mistakes and many obstacles on our path. There were aggressions against us. There were natural calamities which weakened us, yet we went forward in spite of all this. We had not had a moment’s respite. Once again there is a big obstacle in the way of our progress and a big task before the people of this country. You have assured me of your loyalty and I am happy to know that the student community is prepared for the dangers facing this country. But we must know that mere enthusiasm is not enough. We have to understand the ideals and the fundamental principles for which we are fighting and which form the basis of this country’s unity.

 We do not want to go to war. In fact we tried hard to avoid it. The whole world knows that we have been trying for world peace for the past 25 years, and we certainly had a part to play in bringing about peace in certain areas of the world. But, what is peace? Peace does not mean that we keep quiet while the people of a neighbouring


  1. Free translation of speech in Hindi at the University of December 10, 1971