A Struggle for democracy
NEW DELHI, MAY 20- The liberation struggle in Bangladesh is not the result of any internal conflict but a struggle to achieve “democracy, socialism and secularism”. According to a Bangladesh information Note released today, says UNI.
The Pakistan rulers had sent emissaries to different countries to carry on propaganda against Bangladesh and to suppress the true facts about the genocide. These emissaries tell the world that the happenings in Bangladesh are a racial struggle between Bengalis and non-Bengalis and not a “freedom struggle”.
The note says that till March 26, over 40 foreign correspondents were present at Dacca and they had all reported that it was a completely non-violent non-cooperation movement initiated at the clarion call of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman. None of these correspondents the Note adds ever reported that the struggle has racial overtones. Nor have they informed Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman, Mr. Z. A. Bhutto or Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan about such things. Even President Yahya Khan himself has not made such an allegation directly or indirectly.
The release brands a news item published in the “Sunday Times’ ‘ of London in May as “Nothing but a got-up story circulated by the Pakistan Government’ ‘. – The story claimed to have been written by a Pakistani national had actually been written by Mr. Anthony Mascarenhas who is known for his anti-Indian views, the release added.
Reference: Hindustan Standard, 21.05.1971