East Bengal to-day. Almost for the first time in Indian history, or the history of this sub-continent, a non-violent movement has succeeded beyond all expectations. I would even go to the length of saying it has succeeded beyond what it has in our own beloved country of India. The leader of that no-violent movement was carrying on peaceful negotiations; he was not demanding independence; he was demanding autonomy and the redress of long-standing grievances. That such a demand should have been met the use of brutal force against an unarmed and wholly non-violent people unimaginable. I do not think history has ever seen the Chief Justice of a part of a State refusing to administer the oath of allegiance to the martial law administrator. I do not think any radio station, of its own accord, has ever been taken charge of nonviolently by the leaders of the people as in East Bengal. Such things did not happen in our own country during the height of the Gandhi an movement. That such a wholly the non-violent movement for the establishment of democratic rights of the people of East Bengal should have been suppressed by tanks and armed forces brought in within a period of seven days when negotiations were supposed to be going on is something which cannot be imagined.
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Whether it is our neighbor or not is not the point. East Bengal is a part of the world and we have proclaimed, as the President was himself pleased to say, that India's voice shall be raised wherever there is injustice, wherever there is oppression. I think, there can be no more outstanding example of injustice and oppression and the use of violence than what we have seen taking place in East Bengal.
I would like to remind the hon'ble leader of my party that in 1947, when we had not been formed a Government of this country and when her distinguished father was the leader of the so-called interim Government of India, he called an Asian People's Conference. I happened to be at that time. One of the 48 Members of the Indian might be raised on behalf of those people of the world fighting against oppression and tyranny. There can be no better of such a fight against oppression and tyranny than what is taking place across our frontiers of West Bengal. I know the leader of my party and the Prime Minister of India has got at least as much courage, if not more, as that of her father.
I must say, in this connection, that I am very much disappointed at the statement of my hon'ble ex-colleague, the Minister of External Affairs, in attempting to club India's offer of relief for cyclone victims with the relief for the people who are suffering in East Bengal from the armed attacks of tanks, etc. To give relief to whom? To the dead people in East Pakistan? I do not know, I would like to request the hon'ble leader of my party to that the last vestiges of colonialism might be removed from the Asian continent and the people be permitted to live free and self-respecting lives and also be free to frame their future according to their own democratic rights.
SHRI KRISHNA MENON (Trivandrum): Mr. Speaker, Sir, what we say in this House has a much vaster audience than I see in the House and the whole of the country.
