পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (দ্বাদশ খণ্ড).pdf/৫৮৩

®® ጫ বাংরাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ দ্বাদশ খন্ড বাংলাদেশ থেকে লক্ষ লক্ষ শরণার্থীর আগমনের | ভারতের পররাষ্ট্র মন্ত্রণালয় ১৫ জুন, ১৯৭১ উপর আলোচনার জবাবে প্রধানমন্ত্রী ইন্দিরা প্রকাশিত পুস্তিকা গান্ধীর বিবৃতি REFUGEES ARE INTERNATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY Statement of Prime Minister Shrimati Indira Gandhi In Rajya Sabha on June 15, 1971. Intervening in the discussion on the situation arising out of the influx of millions of refugees from Bangladesh Prime Minister Shrimati Indira Gandhi said in Rajya Sabha on June 15, 1971: Sir, I had not expected to intervene in this discussion, because we have made our policy very clear. I was rater astonished to hear from one of the members that our policy is not clear. I think our policy is quite clear. I am astonished at the lack of confidence in our people, in our country, which our Members are constantly displaying. Are we citizens of a great country? Are we citizens who have confidence in ourselves or not? Listening to this debate, it seems to me that this is a far more important question than the question of what is happening to the refugees from Bangla Desh. Because, if we have no confidence in ourselves, it doesn't matter what we say, we will not be able to implement it. I speak here with tremendous confidence in my people and in my Government. I have no doubt at all, that we can face the problem which has come upon us. What does this mean? Does it mean that no refugee will suffer? It cannot possibly mean that. When any country has to face a large influx not an influx over a long period, but a sudden influx within a few weeks, of nearly six million people-it is not a joke; it is not a small thing. I would like to know from hon. Members: Do they know of any country in the world which has faced even one-tenth of this situation before? It is very easy to sit in this House and just criticize and criticize instead of trying to assess the realities of the situation. If even ten thousand refugees arrive in any European country, the whole Continent of Europe will be afire with all the newspapers, the Government and everybody aroused. We are trying to deal with nearly 6 million human beings who have fled from a reign of terror, who have come wounded, with diseases, with illness, hunger and exhaustion. And they have come to our country, which is one of the poorest in the world. We certainly have the fullest sympathy with these war evacuees of refugees, or whatever you would like to call them. We are going to do our very best to look after them. Even it we have to sacrifice, even we have to go hungry hope the hon. Members will be the first to initiate a movement of missing a meal. But at the same time we have to see that our own poor people do not suffer, do not die. We have a double responsibility to our people and a responsibility to our friends from across the border.