Atrocities prove there is no Islam in Pakistan
-Haque Chaudhury
SHILLONG, May 7, From Our Staff Correspondent The barbarous atrocities let loose by the Pakistan army on the unarmed population of East Bengal proved that there had been no Islam in Pakistan. Mr. Moinul Haque Chaudhury, Union Minister for Industrial Development and Internal Trade, said while addressing a series of meetings in Cachar district during his four-day visit to the district. Had there been Islam, the Minister pointed out, trere would have been democracy, because Islam believed in democracy.
The Union Minsiter said that President Yahya Khan of Pakistan who had raised the cry of ‘Islam in danger’ had dishonoured Islam more than any one else.
Mr. Haque Chaudhury cautioned the people that Yahya Khan had been sending agents to India with two objects: to create division among our people and to kill leaders of the Mukti Fouz who had been forced to take shelter on our side. He asked the people to be vigilant against these agents.
APPEAL TO HELP MIGRANTS
Mr. Haque Chaudhury appealed to the people to welcome the unfortunate people coming to India for shelter, help them, and extend encouragement to them as their struggle would be long drawn. Millions of Indians were behind the freedom fighters, the Minsiter added.
VISIT TO CAMPS
Mr. Haque Chaudhury today visited the border areas of Tripura to study the problems arising out of the influx of refugees from Bangladesh.
He visited several camps in the Sabrum subdivision where there is a large concentration of refugees.
On his return to Agartrala in the afterrioon, Mr. Chaudhury said he saw thousands of people still coming to India from Bangladesh. The refugees belonged to all communities-Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists and Christians, he said.
He agreed that it was beyond the capacity of the Tripura Government to tackle the problem because its resources were meagre and the problem very large.
Mr. Chaudhury said immediate help should come from all humanitarian organisations and international agencies.
Mr. Chaudhury emphasised that international agencies should come to see for themselves the heart rending condition of refugees and hear the tales of woe which had compelled these people to leave their homes. Only then will they realise the utter falsity of Pakistani propaganda that these refugees had not come from Pakistan.
Reference: Hindustan Standard 8.5.1971