India Being Kept At Receiving End Of Threats, Say M.P.s
From Our Special Correspondent, NEW DELHI, July 21.–The Opposition in the Rajya Sabha expressed strong dissatisfaction with what Mr. N. G. Goray (PSP) described as the Government’s continuing posture of keeping the country at the receiving end” first of the Pakistani economic aggression caused by the Bangladesh refugees and now of actual threats of war.
But the External Affairs Minister, replying to a discussion in a motion calling attention to the Pakistani President’s reported threat of “general war”, declined to budge from his position, stated in the Lok Sabha yesterday.
Irked by persistent demands for recognition of Bangladesh Mr. Swaran Singh told Mr. Chitta Basu (FB) and Mr. Raj Narain (SSP) that he was not going to accord recognition “today or even tomorrow”. Later when the possibility of this being misinterpreted by Bangladesh leaders was pointed out to him by Mr. Biju Patnaik, the Minister said that he wished to make it clear that when he said “tomorrow” he meant it literally.
The Minister reiterated that India “would not be alone” if involved in a war. Asked who would be with her or who were claimed as Pakistan’s allies by President Yahya Khan he said that these were questions which obviously could not be discussed in public in the national interest.
MINISTER’S STATEMENT
In his statement on the calling attention motion, the Minister said: “Pakistan has been trying for some time to mislead the world into thinking that the situation in Bangladesh is a matter between Pakistan and India whereas, in fact, it is a matter between the military rulers of West Pakistan and the people of Bangladesh. it is the Pakistan regime’s own actions, and the brutalities committed by its Army in Bangladesh, that have landed Pakistan in a morass Only a settlement with the already elected representatives of the people of Bangladesh will enable the military rulers to extricate themselves from this situation”.
“So long as Pakistan does not recognize this, the activities of the Bangladesh freedom fighters will continue and increases. When the freedom fighters succeed in liberating territory in Bangladesh and Pakistan uses it as a pretext for attacking us then I must make it clear that we are ready to defend ourselves.
“We have no desire to seize any part of Pakistan’ President Yahya Khan is either trying to mislead his people and the world at large or preparing them for an aggression against India by making such unwarranted and baseless statements”.
Some members of the Rajya Sabha accused the USA of encouraging Pakistan to throw a challenge to India for a war, adds PTI.
The accusation came particularly from Mr. A. G. Kulkarni (Cong-R) and Mr. Lok Nath Mishra (Swa). Mr. Kulkarni demand at least a temporary recall of the Indian Ambassador to the USA to mark India’s protest Mr. Mishra went a step further charging the USA with “betraying all democratics” of the world by chasing after Mr. Chou En-Lal’s favour and supporting General Yahya Khan.
Mr. Bhupesh Gupta (CPI) did not see any reason for India to “be upset or provoked” and take a despondent view. He was sure that India had “many more friends” other than the USA. China or Pakistan. But he did not want to take a roll call of the nations who supported India. As a Communist Mr. Gupta felt “ashamed” that Communist countries like China should hobnob with Pakistan and the USA. He however, wanted the Government to recognize Bangladesh as soon as possible, “If possible today itself”.
Mr. Swaran Singh, in his reply, rejected a plea that India should revise its stand on the question of Palestinian refugees because of the Arab countries attitude in regard to Bangladesh. Mr. Krishan Kant had asked whether India would also treat the Palestine refugee problem as an internal problem of Arab countries in future as it was “unrealistic” to expect them to take a global view of the Bangladesh problem.
Mr. Singh said India’s stand on the question of Palestine refugees, which had been before the U. N. and several other forums, was “In consonance with the facts and justice of the situation.”
Several Congress and Opposition members took exception in the Rajya Sabha today to a statement by Mr. Swaran Singh that he did not see “how we can protest against the presence of Chinese armed forces in West and East Pakistan.”
Mr. G. Murahari and Mr. I. K. Advani wanted to know whether the Government was aware about the presence of over 250 Chinese troops in East Bengal to suppress the Bangladesh liberation movement and asked why the Government had not protested to China for sending their troops to Pakistan,
Mr. Swaran Singh said there was no doubt that some members of armed forces of China had been present in Pakistan, either in the West or East for what was “described as technical training purposes.” “I do not see how we can protest if a sovereign country invites troops of another country for some training activity. What is the point in protesting to China or Pakistan”, he said.
Mr. Singh told Mr. J. P. Mathur that China had accused India of interfering in Pakistan’s internal affairs, over the developments in Bangladesh there was a protest note from China in April last on this and “we rejected it completely” he said.
Reference: Hindustan Standard 22.7.1971