In Bangladesh, says Gen Kaul
NEW DELHI, July 30.-Gen. Kaul, former Chief of General Staff and author of the controversial. “The Untold Story”, has criticised the Government for its falilure to take timely action in Bangladesh, says UNI.
In his new book “Confrontation with Pakistan Gen. Kaul says: “We missed a great opportunity, the like of which may not come our way in the foreseeable future. We could have liquidated a substantial chunk of the Pakistani Army in Bangladesh and this would have weakened Pakistan considerably reducing a major threat to our security. But we have missed the bus.”
India should lose no time in discussing with the Soviet Union and Japan the measures to be taken against China in the context of the present threat of a joint Sino-Pakistanmilitary offensive against this country, Gen. Kaul suggests.
Critising the political leader Gen. Kaul writes: soon after March 25, that India should strike in aid of the Uberation forces certain personages hummed and hawed and said that if we took armed action we would bring China in against India Gen. Kaul asks sarcastically: “But why should that have deterred us, remembering the boast that India was so well prepared military that it could take on China as also Pakistan?”
Gen. Kaul, whose meteorite career in the Indian Army was cut shot by his voluntary retirement in the wake of the NEFA debacle in 1962, had in his earlier book, sought to lay the main responsibility for the Indian military reverse on the political leadership-particularly of the then Prime Minister, Mr. Nehru and his Defence Minister, Mr. V. K. Krishna Menon-and its alleged errors of judgment in forcing its decisions on the army commanders.
The present book which has been updated to include references to President Nixon’s dramatic July 16 announcement of his acceptance of Preminer Chou En-lal’s invitation to visit Peking.
“In view of the fact that Pakistan may attack us in collusion with China. Gen. Kaul says, “we must stretch and test our diplomacy and make advance arrangements with some friendly countries to cope with such a situation.
“Whatever we do, we must not allow China or Pakistan to take the initiative against us on the next occasion. Indeed, we should take the first step ourselves with suitable allies once China or Pakistan creates provoking circumstances.”
Gen. Kaul says: “If, our Army had gone into East Pakistan in aid of the liberation forces soon after March 25, we would have had overwhelming advantages. We would have found under two divisions of Pakistani troops engaged in putting down the civil war. It would have been the correct campaigning season.
“We would have caught the Pakistanis disembarking from ship along the coastline, without unloading facilities. The civil population, hostile to Pakistan, would have been cmotinally with us and would have welcomed us.
“But this action would have been possible only if there had been some anticipation on our part of the growing crisis in East Bengal and if we had advance plans of action. Actually, we did little except indulge in academic discussion and make emply gestures of sympathy.
Gen. Kaul goes on to say: “As Pakistan has now inducted in East Bengal troops whose total strength stood at more than four divisions on May 1. 1971, we are at a disadvantage with them operationally. If we had hit Pakistan in March or April 1971 we would have fought a war in the most favourable conditions.
“Now the initiative has passed in the enemy, who will choose the time and place which suits him most to hit us. Those who fear that recognitions of Bangladesh might lead to war should ask whether not recognising it will prevent one.”
After referring to the current political developments in Pakistan, particularly Mr. Bhutto’s bid to gain power with the aid of younger army officers, Gen. Kaul says: “If Yahya wins in this struggle for power, there is likely to be a revolt in both wings of Pakistan.
In the present circumstances Gen. Kaul says. The only course available to Yahya may be to wage war with India, but whether Pakistan has a war with India or not, one thing seems certain: Once leadership in East Bengal passes into the extermists’ hands, as is already happening. East and West Bengal, inspired by China, may become an enlarged Bangladesh.
“China would wield great influence in these two regions under one banner and would thus gain ultimately at the expense of both India and Pakistan.”
Without outlining any definite plan or military action, the hattlescarred strategist of the NEFA campaign proffers the following advice:
“Our Government should not take a month of Sundays to make an assement but take speedy action, as time is of great conseouence, we should soon come to a concrete agreement with the USSR to meet this new threat.”
Reference: Hindustan Standard 31.7.197171