Protest against US shipment of arms to Pakistan
A mass demonstration was held by members of Youth For Bangladesh outside the USIS in Calcutta on Wednesday evening. Slogans condemning the arms shipments made to Pakistan by the USA in a deceptive and surreptitious manner, despite the embargo proalaimed to have been placed by the American Government on arms supplies to Pakistan, were raised.
Mr. Bhajan Nag, Secretary of Youth For Bangladesh, addressed the gathering. A copy of the protest note was left with the USIS for transmission to the US Government.
Mr. Mihir Sen. Chairman of the Youth For Bangladesh, in a statement condemned the two-faced diplomacy and heartless cynicism of the Nixon administration.
“We are being treated to the incomprehensible spectable of American C-130 planes flying life-saving relief materials for the victims of Pakistan’s outrage on one hand and death-dealing military planes being surreptitiously shipped post-haste to Pakistan to kill and maim more Bengalis and to turn further millions into refugees, on the other.” Mr. Sen said.
“Surely, this perfidious act on the part of the US Government will remain for a long time as the worst instance of two-faced diplomacy and of morbid cynicism in international politics.
“We demand that the US government freeze the entire cargo aboard these two ships on arrival at Karachi and undertake not to make further shipments of arms or even of ‘spares’ till Bangladesh becomes independent.
“We demand that the Government of India should make the above the condition precedent for acceptance of use of materials sent by the USA for relief work.” Mr. Sen concluded.
Reference: Hindustan Standard 20.6.1971