MPs doubt Sadruddin’s impartiality
From Our Special Correspondent, NEW DELHI, June 21.-An agitated Rajya Sabha today took the Government to task for permitting Prince Sadruddin, U. N. High Commissioner for Refuges, who was describing as a “stooge of President Yahya Khan,’ to come here to visit the refugees from Bangladesh.
Members accused the Prince of “double talk” and of trying to justify, through his various utterances. the statements made by Radio Pakistan on Bangladesh. They doubled the Prince’s impartiality and wanted the Government to bring this to the notice of the U. N. authorities.
In the face of mounting attack by the members, the Minister for Labour and Rehabilitation, Mr. Khadilkar, admitted that certain utterances of the Prince had given an impression that “he was not above bias.”
Mr. Khadilkar also admitted that some of the industrial units of the Prince had been damaged by the freedom fighters in Bangladesh and “he was sure about it.”
The issue was raised by Mr. Krishna Kant (C-R) and 60 others belonging to almost all the parties. Mr. Krishna Kant set the tone of the discussion by challenging the credentials not only of Prince Sadruddin but also of Mr. Kittani as “impartial emissaries” of the U.N. Some of them pointed out that the Prince’s father, the late Agakhan, had been in a way a creator of Pakistan. His brother had been Pakistan’s representative in the U.N.
Mr. Khadilkar told the members that the Government had sent a detailed report to its permanent representative in the U.N. conveying “our assement of his visit and our apprehensions.” The Minister assured the members that they had emphasised that all aid to Bangladesh should be channelled under U.N. supervision. Members had apprehended the possibility of U.N. assistance for Bangladesh being misused by the military regime.
He had already voiced India’s apprechension to the Director General of the FAO about the possibility of misuse of aid by the military regime.
The members raised the issue through a call-attention notice drawing the attention of the House to the “misleading impression created by the reported statement made by Prince Sadruddin to the effect that the situation in Bangladesh has returned to normal.” Mr. Khadilkar referred to the Prince’s statement to the Press on June 18 in which he had said, “I never said that conditions are satisfactory for the return of the refugees.”
In his conversations with the Minister, Prince Sadruddin had specially emphasised that as High Commissioner, his mission was “mainly humanitarian and that he was not concerned with finding a political solution.” But the Minister, persistently cross-examined by the members, said that the Prince had appeared to hover around one point and to probing whether a political settlement within the framework of Pakistan was possible.
“I told him,” the Minister said, “that time has gone long ago. Whatever settlement is to be reached has to be with the duly elected representatives of Bangladesh.” The Minister had asked Prince Sadruddin whether he believed that as long as the military was there, the refugees would retum. The Prince “kept mum” on this point.
Mr. Khaditkar indicated that the latest refugee figures on June 10 were : 5,923,594. The daily average of arrivals, except on some days when it was high, was 70,000 to 80,000.
The government of India brought to the notice of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees during his recent visit to India the disposal by auction by the Government of Pakistan of all movable and immovable properties of refugees who had come to India recently from Bangladesh.
Giving this information in the Lok Sabha today. Mr. Surendra Pal Singh. Deputy Minister for External Affairs, said that the Government was also bringing this to the notice of the international community through diplomatic channels.
“An assurance has been sought,” he said, “from the Pakistani Government that the property of the refugees would be protected and returned to them when they return to their homes in East Bengal.”
Mr. Singh agreed with the questioner, Mr. R. S. Pandey, that this would mar the prospects of return of millions of refugees to East Bengal.
In reply to another question, he said that the Government was in touch with friendly countries for the release of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from jail. The Government had received representations from members of Parliament urging it to take the initiative in creating a strong world opinion “to secure the unconditional release” of Mr. Rahman.
Reuter adds from Geneva that Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, will fly to New York tomorrows to report to U. N. Secretary-General U Thant on the problem of East Bengal refugees in India, it was announced today. Prince Sadruddin, “whose office here is the focal point for all United Nations relief to the refugees, returned to Geneva yesterday from a visit to Pakistan and India where he discussed with the two Governments the possibility of the refugees returning to their homes.
Reference: Hindustan Standard 22.6.1971