বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (দ্বাদশ খণ্ড)/৪৬
| শিরোনাম | সূত্র | তারিখ |
|---|---|---|
| সীমান্তের পরিস্থিতি মারাত্মক, ভারত তথাপি যুদ্ধ এড়াতে চায়? সাংবাদিক সম্মেলনে প্রধানমন্ত্রীর ভাষণ | দৈনিক স্টেটসম্যান | ২০ অক্টোবর, ১৯৭১ |
BORDER SITUATION GRAVE, SAYS MRS. GANDHI
-But India Wants To Avoid War with Pakistan
Early Exchange of Ambassadors with China not Ruled out.
(From Our Political Correspondent)
New Delhi, Oct 19:—Describing the Indo-Pakistani border situation as a “grave one”, Mrs. Indira Gandhi declared here today that India would do everything to avoid an armed conflict. “But you cannot shake hands with a clenched fist”, she added.
However, nobody could prophesy on matters of war. As Pakistani troops had been massing all along the border, India had also taken the necessary defensive measures.
The Prime Minister told a Press Conference this morning that despite the menacing Pakistani postures, her forthcoming tour of Europe and the USA stood “as of now”. She would not say whether the Government proposed to declare an emergency because of the grave situation.
Looking confident and relaxed and replying to a spate of questions in good humour, the Prime Minister rejected the Pakistani President’s suggestion for talks with India on the Bangladesh question while ruling out the personality of mutual withdrawal of troops, Mrs. Gandhi also turned down the Pakistani suggestion for the appointment of a mediator on what possible subject could mediation take place? India was involved in Bangladesh only to the extent that 13% of its population was on Indian territory following Pakistani atrocities.
She made it clear that thought India desired to settle outstanding problems with Pakistan by negotiation, Bangladesh was Indo-Pakistan issue, Bangladesh was essentially a matter between Pakistan’s military regime and the people of Bangladesh. The sooner the Bangladesh refugees returned to their homeland, the better would be the chances of avoiding a possible conflagration between India and Pakistan.
Mrs. Gandhi said there had been no specific suggestions from either the USA or the Soviet Union on how to case the present situation. Everybody admired India’s restraints and showered verbal praised on her. Others who were not restrained however got arms as well.
Mrs. Gandhi was not inclined to comment on the conditions places by the Bangladesh Government for a political settlement beyond stating that the problem was basically between the Pakistani Government and the people of Bangladesh. An acceptable solution had to satisfy the elected representatives of the people-the people who had been elected not so long ago in a free and fair election conducted by the military regime itself. These representatives were elected by the biggest majority in any free election. “That election cannot be ignored”.
The first gesture the Pakistani military junta ought to make towards a political settlement was to stop the atrocities in Bangladesh and create conditions acceptable to the elected representatives.
Mrs. Gandhi said she failed to understand, why were there should be any confusion over India’s position regarding the posting of U.N. observers, India had provided all facilities for not only the members of the U.N. High Commission for Refugees but also to visiting parliamentarians and journalists from all over the conditions in the refugee camps. It was up to the U. N. to see that conditions were created with Bangladesh which would guarantee the return of refugees. The U. N. could make an approach to India after this was done. At that stage, India could certainly look into the matter. The solution which India had in mind for Bangladesh could not be spelt out in very precise terms. However, a puppet Government set up by the Pakistani rulers in Bangladesh would be no solution.
Mrs. Gandhi answered a number of questions on Sino-Indian relations but no new point emerged from the answers. The Chinese attitude towards India had undergone a gradual change. Mr. Chou En-lai’s favorable reaction to the Indo-Soviet Treaty was not a sudden advance. No reply had been received from Mr. Chou to her letter. There was, however, no reason why India and China could not exchange ambassadors soon. Admitting that there were Chinese troops on the Tibetan border. Mrs. Gandhi said she did not think there was any great concentration. Her discussions with Marshal Tito indicated that the views of India and Yugoslavia on China were “broadly similar”.
In a heated reply to a question on the Indo-Soviet treaty, Mrs. Gandhi maintained that no foreign country could curtail any of India’s options whether in regard to developing nuclear weapons or taking any other action in the country’s national interest. There were no misgivings in the public mind on this score. It was only interested newspapers and political parties that sought to spread rumors. Provocations by these political parties or newspapers would not make any difference to the Government stand. The treaty has strengthened India’s position and had contributed further to Indo-Soviet friendship.
Mrs. Gandhi admitted that the refugee influx had imposed a severe strain on the country’s economy. Even so, the Government was trying to ensure that the Fourth Plan went through. The Finance Minister had already met the Chief Ministers to examine the possibility of raising additional resources. The question of prices was one of demand and supply, and the Government was adopting certain fiscal and other policies which she hoped will make an impact on price.
The Prime Minister described as “one of those typical Press misstatements” that she had set a time limit of six months for the return of the Bangladesh refugees. What she had actually done was to give Parliament an assessment of the financial burden involved over a period of six months because of the refugee influx. India, she said, was facing the consequences of what had happened inside Bangladesh. Apart from the tremendous economic burden, what caused more anxiety, was the likelihood of social and political tensions erupting in an area which was sensitive at the best of times. Besides, there was the problem of peace, security and stability of the castern region.
It was pointless to make a distinction between governmental priorities between seeking a political solution and international assistance for refugee relief. India had sought financial assistance because of the burden involved but there was no question of the refugees staying on in the country. They were here on a temporary basis and sooner they returned, the better. The freedom struggle in Bangladesh would, however, definitely succeed. History showed that such struggles might receive setbacks but ultimately they won. Additionally, the entire people of Bangladesh supported the Mukti Bahini and this was a noteworthy point a large number of Bangladesh citizens outside were also helping the Mukti Bahini with resources.
UNI and PTI add: On West Asia and Indo-China, she said in Indo-China, the situation was changing but in the Middle East it remained the same. “While there are many steps being taken for a detente in Europe, the conflict in Asia continues and grows”.
There were peels for laughter when Mrs. Gandhi remarked at her Press Conference that she did not want to deny the Press of us occupation by saying anything on what a Pressman and described as “speculation” on Cabinet reshuffle.