বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (দ্বাদশ খণ্ড)/৬৫
| শিরোনাম | সূত্র | তারিখ |
|---|---|---|
| প্যারিসে রাষ্ট্রীয় ভোজসভায় প্রধানমন্ত্রী ইন্দিরা গান্ধীর ভাষণ | ভারত সরকারের পররাষ্ট্র মন্ত্রণালয় | ৮ নভেম্বর, ১৯৭১ |
PRIME MINISTER INDIRA GANDHI’S SPEECH AT A STATE
LUNCHEON, PARIS-NOVEMBER 8, 1971
I am touched by your kind words and I thank you-and through you, France-for the hospitality and friendliness. A year ago, I came in haste and in sorrow to attend the memorial service for General de Gaulle. He was a man great stature, who embodied the honor of France at a time of trial. We in India respect and salute him.
We all have deep feelings for France. France, like India, is more than a country-it is an idea. Throughout history, your nation and mine have known triumphs and tragedies, but have always tried to maintain certain values of civilization. In the last few centuries, the world owes much to the creative spirit of the French people-in art and science, philosophy and literature and politics. France has taught us that liberty is the goal and condition of man's life, and law and logic the means to progress. Nowhere are the issues of man’s fate more poignantly and passionately discussed than in your country. France has not been content to seek its glory at the cost of the good of man.
The achievement of Indian civilization is its persistence over thirty centuries. This survival has been possible because of tolerance, the power of assimilation and the belief that the values of life are more important than power and position.
After many vicissitudes, we are once again in the mainstream of history. We are engaged in overcoming the stagnancy perpetuated by years of feudalism and colonial rule when we were deprived of industrial, technological and social change. The results achieved in a democratic society may appear less impressive than those of a controlled society because of voices of dissent and discontent, and the absence of organized propaganda. Yet we believe that democracy is the surer and more effective method, for it gives strength to the people.
Freedom arouses expectations, and democracy encourages competition. The first gains in development have produced new tensions. People sometimes take advantage of smaller loyalties to region and religion which abound in a vast and varied country such as ours. We are trying to lessen the disparities between different sections and to give greater opportunities to the small man. We have many minorities. They enjoy full rights as minorities and as citizens. We would certainly like our society to benefit from technology, but we do not want to be imprisoned by technological structures. We have no wish to re-enact the experiences of the West our national personality must evolve in its own way. Increasing material affluence does not seem to have satisfied man's deepest yearnings. Society must be imbued with the values which will enable man to find fulfillment and to enjoy his world.
This is the principle which has been guiding our endeavors. It is not easy to transform the old order without revolution, or to mould a diverse people into a modern nation on a rational basis without recourse to compulsion. The task is too vast to attempt superficial unity which comes of fanatic appeal to religion or dogma. In this quarter of a century, a rational democratic process has been established.
We have always viewed Indian problems in the larger perspective of international peace. To us, the Cold War seemed to be distracting attention from the major problems of the world and encouraging confrontation rather than cooperation. It was inevitable that the assumption of the Cold War could not pass the test out line. We welcome the détente in Europe. We are glad that China has at long last been admitted into the U.N. and that the United States and China are beginning a dialogue. In this period, France has displayed foresight and statesmanship of the highest order.
Thus, there was every reason to expect evolution towards a peaceful world and, naturally, of India. Our last general elections created the conditions of political stability which would enable more rapid economic advance.
However, within a week of the formation of the new government, without waming and without volition on our part, a tremendous new burden fell upon us. Over 9 million people of East Bengal-more or less equal to the population of Belgium or Austria-terrorized and persecuted by the military rulers of Pakistan, have been pushed inside our territory, jeopardizing our normal life and our plans for the future. Should the world not take note of this new kind of aggression? This is not a civil war in the normal sense of the word. It is genocidal punishment of civilians for having voted democratically. It is cynical use of helpless human beings as a weapon against a neighbor nation. Loyalty cannot be commanded by force. The spirit of man, his yearning for freedom and human dignity cannot be extinguished by repression.
We in India have shown the greatest self-restraint. But there is no doubt that our stability and security are threatened. Indeed we feel the threat is to the peace of the entire region. The basic cause of this crisis must be remedied. A political solution must be found, and to be effective, it must be acceptable to the elected representatives of the people of Bangladesh........