Refugees cannot stay in India permanently : PM
SRINAGAR, JUNE 18 – The Prime Minister today declared that” a way had to be found to enable the uprooted people of Bangladesh to return to their homes.” says UNI.
The refugees, she said, could not stay in India permanently nor have the resources to maintain them.
Mrs. Gandhi was addressing a public meeting at Anantnag about 51 kms from here.
Mrs. Gandhi said there was no reason why India should keep the refugees as the trouble in East Bengal was not of India’s making.
“The problem of refugees is not the responsibility of India alone but of the entire world”, she said.
Describing the refugee problem as a huge task, Mrs. Gandhi said that it had disturbed the developmental works in the country.
About six million refugees of all religions had so far crossed over to India and it was a stupendous task to look after them, she added.
Mrs. Gandhi said with the creation of Pakistan it was hoped that both the countries would live in peace. But Pakistan had believed all these hopes by repeatedly interfering in India’s affairs, she added.
The choice of the people of Jammu and Kashmir-opting for India-had once again proved right, she added. She said that the future of the State would be brightened in the coming years.
Mrs. Gandhi flew in Srinagar today on a three-day visit to the Kashmir valley.
Mrs. Gandhi, who was scheduled to arrive in the State capital at 1.15 pm had to delay her arrival by about three hours owing to her preoccupation with important work in Parliament.
Soon after her arrival she flew to Anantnag in an Army helicopter to address the public meeting.
Reference: Hindustan Standard, 19.06.1971