the armed forces have got very close to each other. Men in the army know what the people are doing, what are their social and financial problems and how they can be solved to ensure a better life. Our brave soldiers have their parents, brothers or sisters elsewhere in the country and whatever happens to one affects the other.
The people who are not in uniform also from a king of army today. All have to join hands, in the fight. I am glad that you are donating blood. If need be, we shall ask for more. But the time has not yet come. Today we have to convince the army that behind them is a strong and united nation, which will go on growing stronger as time passes.
We shall achieve full victory only when Bangladesh is completely free and has her own Government. They have a Government just now, but it has to go there, organize its machinery, and, as they have said, take back all the refugees, who should be provided work, so that Bangladesh again becomes the Sonar Bangla, as stated in their National Anthem.
All this we have to do. We who are not on the borders, have to ensure that all weaknesses in our social fabric are removed so that when the war is over, the country takes a big leap forward. We should be victorious not only on the battle field but also in our civic life. We should adhere to a path which takes us forward to glory. There is a big task before you and me.
We have also to ensure that we do not speak ill of others, however much we are opposed to them. we have to show to the world that we are resolute, and that we shall not change even if we are opposed by the whole world. We are on the correct path, and we shall prove that this is so. It is my belief that we have to take all this in our stride. This is proved by events in our country and in international affairs.
We are among those who have given greater support to the United Nations and do so even today. While we respect that august body, we are also aware of its weaknesses. It has adopted many resolutions before but these have been ineffective. This nations of the world have to decide whether they want to be friendly with the 55 crores of our people or not.
There are only a few countries in the world today where the whole population is engaged in the common endeavor of nation-building. The war going on is a recent affair but our main task has been to take our country forward on the road to development. There are only a few countries treading a similar path with foresight. If we become strong, and pur people uphold our ideals, this would benefit not only India but the whole world. We have to convey this message to the world. But it is not being heard today.
It has been a tiring business to receive all sorts of advice from outside, advice which has come from people whose own policies have been proved to be wrong. Even in our own country we sometimes get advice from our newspapers and our brethren. If they are here before us, they need not take this reference to heart, because it is their leaders who are responsible for the opinions they express. Even an ordinary person would reconsider his opinion if he is proved to be wrong. Instead, their leaders express yet another opinion which is proved to be equally wrong.
