She said there had been cases of the Pakistani Army resorting to firing across the border into India. In such cases some steps were taken. “It might not always be possible, however, to take action,” the Prime Minister added.
AT BONGAON
Our Staff Correspondent adds: Earlier, addressing the Bangladesh refugees at Bongaon this afternoon, the Prime Minister said it was a pity that certain elements in East Bengal were now trying to give a communal color to the liberation war in Bangladesh. Such attempts would only weaken the cause of that country, she added.
In the afternoon Mrs. Gandhi visited two refugee relief centers at Petrapole and Itkhola. She also visited the sub-divisional hospital at Bongaon and talked to the evacuee patients from Bangladesh who had been shot at by Pakistani troops.
She told the refugees that the liberation war in East Bengal was a “war against all kinds of repression and wrongs. Remember, your fight is our fight”.
While fighting against injustice and repression the people of Bangladesh had been forced to take shelter in India. “We know that despite all our good wishes, you might have to face difficulties here because we are not a rich country”, she said.
Mrs. Gandhi expressed the hope that the refugees would not have to suffer long and they would be able to return home soon. She said India was a democratic country. Here there was no ill-feeling among the Hindus, Muslims, Christians and other communities. She hoped that the people of East Bengal would also maintain communal harmony and jointly fight their war of liberation.
At the Petrapole camp, where more than 8,000 refugees were living, Mrs. Gandhi gave food to a small girl. She was reported to have lost many of her relatives. A 10-year-old boy who had been carrying his small sister on his shoulder burst into tears while narrating his story. She also talked to a woman whose husband had been shot dead by Pakistani troops.
According to a spokesman of the Bharat Sevasram, Muslims constituted about 40% of the population at the Petrapole camp. Boys and girls below the age of eight numbered 2,200.
Demanding immediate recognition of Bangladesh, a demonstration was organized by the supporters of the Democratic Students Organisation and the Democratic Youth Organisation when Mrs. Gandhi landed at Calcutta airport. The demonstrators protested against the Union Government's attitude towards Bangladesh.
Mr. J. C. De, Chairman of the West Bengal branch of the Indian Red Cross Society, explained to the Prime Minister, and the Chairman of the Indian Red Cross Society, Miss Padmaja Naidu, what the State unit of the society was doing in Petrapole and many other centers.
