China has 50,000 troops along Indian Border
New Delhi, June 8.–Nearly 50 per cent of more than 100,000 Chinese troops in Tibet are now believed to be deployed along the IndoTibetan border. The Defence Minister, Mr. Jagjivan Ram, gave this information in the Rajya Sabha today. He, however, declined to go into detail in public Interest, reports PTI.
Mr. Ram said West Pakistani troops had intruded into Indian territory at a number of points along Bangladesh between March 25 and May 2. Intrusions took place at Bongaon, Radhikapur, at several points in Jalpaiguri, West Dinajpore, Cooch Behar, Nadia and Murshidabad districts of West Bengal, in Cachar. Khasi and Jaintia Hill districts of Assam, at Kilapara in Meghalaya and Khowal, Kalikrishnagar and other points in Tripura.
The Deputy External Affairs Minister, Mr. E. P. Singh, said in reply to a question of Mr. Pranab Kumar Mukherjee (BC) that the Government of India felt “distressed and dismayed that China, which professes to stand for the oppresses people should have extended support to the brutal supression of the legitimate hopes and aspirations and the struggle for freedom of the people of Bangladesh.” adds our Special Correspondent.
Mr. Singh described the accusation of the Chinese Press that India was interfering in the internal affairs of Pakistan as “totally baseless and inspired by ulterior motives”.
The Government of India’s stand on the East Bengal question, the Deputy Minister said, was well-known. The Government of India supported the legitimate aspirations of the people of East Bengal and deplored their brutal supression by the West Pakistani armed forces. But it had not interfered in Pakistan’s affairs”. Mr. Singh added.
Mr. Singh rejected a suggestion by a member to convene a conference of the Asian countries on the Pakistani military atrocities in East Bengal. The Government, he said, had taken several steps to acquaint the countries of Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South America and others with the scale of atrocities being perpetrated in Bangladesh by the Pakistani Military authorities and about the impact of it on India.
“The Government of India feels that the full magnitude of the problem and its implications is now being gradually realised in the capitals of the world. They do not consider it necessary to call a conference”, the Deputy Minister added.
Reference: Hindustan Standard 9.6.1971