No comment from New Delhi
Indian Government circles Monday night declined to comment on the international complications that might arise from the presence of the armed liberatiton force in India. They referred inquiries to New Delhi.
But West Bengal Deputy Chief Minister Bejoy Singh Nahar told AFP Correspondent that he welcomed the forces as belonging to a friendly country. “We in West Bengal recognise Bangla Desh although the central government has not done so yet”, he said.
Nahar, who is a member of the Congress Party of Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi, said he did not know whether New Delhi had been advised of the presence of the troops in India. He said West Bengal had provided medical and other aid for Bangla Desh Refugees worth 200,000 rupees.
Nahar said he knew nothing about ammuntion which liberation men had received from the Indian Army.
This was a matter for the central government.
He denied that the Bangla Desh cabinet was meeting in Calcutta and said they were still in their home territory. But in a flat Monday they slept for a few hours Sunday night. One of their meetings was held in the West Bengal State Guest House. AFP.
Reference : The Djakarta Times, 21.04.1971