“India always stood for better ties with China“
Continued from Page 1 Col. 3, The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Mr. Ram Niwas Mirdha, who toured the border areas, disclosed this to newsmen here today and said that he discussed civil defence measures and emergency arrangements with senior Army and administrative officials.
At a news conference at Jallundur when Mr. Ram was asked to comment on the possibilities of a war with Pakistan following mass concentration of Pak troops on the borders, he said it depended entirely on Pakistan and not on India.
“Let me make it clear to all that war shall be originating from Pakistan which had been adopting aggressive postures all these years,” he declared.
Asked how far India could depend on Soviet help in case of an armed conflict with Pakistan. Mr. Ram retorted “why should we depend on anyone. It is for us to defend ourselves.”
Indian Armed forces were ready to repel any aggressor, he added.
The Defence Minister described as “deliberate mischief” a Karachi report that Pakistan had offered to withdraw its forces from he border if India stopped infiltration. It was the Mukti Bahini and not Indian infiltration which worried Pakistan, and as such that had nothing to do with us, he added.
Mr. Ram said there was no occasion for the Prime Minister to postpone her forthcoming foreign tour. He was asked if the Prime Minister should not call off the trip in the context of Pakistani threat on the borders.
On Bangladesh, he said there was no deviation in India’s stand. It regarded a political settlement acceptable to the people of essential to any lasting solution, and added “they demand nothing short of complete independence.”
Regarding China, Mr. Ram said India would welcome any move aimed at normalisation or relations with China.
He described as a “welcome change” in the atmosphere the proposed visit of the Indian table tennis team to Peking to participate in the Afro-Asian Friendship Tournament and said “India always stood for better relations with China.”
He felt that China would extend moral and material support to Pakistan in the event of a war with India. Chinese experts were present in East Bengal before the current crisis began there, he added.
Referring to an American newspaper allegation that India was arming the Mukti Bahini, Mr. Ram said the guerillas brought the military ware and equipment from the international markets and it was an open secret that they purchased arms from various sources against cash payment.
He accused Pakistan of persistent refusal to reconcile to the realities of the situation and said it should stop blaming India for everything which went wrong in that country.
Refugees, he said, would return to their homes one day, ‘not to Yahya’s Pakistan but to Mujib’s Bangladesh,” Mr. Ram declared.
A Shillong report says Pakistani Army personnel intruded into the Indian territary at Barman Para border village near Mahendraganj in the Garo Hills district of Meghalaya and opened fire in the early hours yesterday, according to authoritative reports reaching Shillong tonight.
The intruders armed with automatic weapons also set fire to nine houses.
The Indian Border Security Forcer returned the fire effectively, and the Pakistani forces fled away, the report said.
Pakistan has moved heavy armour at Navaram and based fighters at Jessore Airport, in Kushtia and Jessore districts respectively, says a report from Krishnagar.
The people in the border areas have been evacuated or forced to cross into India by Pakistani troop.
A report from Garura, opposite the Indian border village of Shikarpur, said Pakistani troops and cleared suggarcane crops over an extensive area and built camps.
A Vijayawada report says : The Indian Union Muslim League President, Mr. Mohammed Ismail, MP, said today that his party would extend its full support to India in the event of a war with Pakistan.
He told newsmen, that as the Muslim League had stood firmly behind the country during the India-China war in 1962, and the India-Pakistan war in 1965, his party would stand behind the country in any threat to its integrity.
Asked whether he favoured an independent Bangladesh. Mr. Ismail said if it was in the interest of the country as seen by the Union Government the Muslim League would support it.
He demanded the immediate release of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as a prelude to the settlement of the Bangladesh issue.
Reference: Hindustan Standard 8.10.1971