70 Indians Killed due to Pak Army’s intrusion
NEW DELHI, JUNE 17- Over 70 Indian nationals were killed and 48 injured due to Pakistani Army’s intrusion and firing inside the Indian territory on the Eastern border since March last, reporters PTI.
This information was given in the Rajya Sabha today by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Mr. K. C. Pant during question time.
Mr. Pant told Mr. J. P. Yadav that of these 30 were killed and 20 injured in West Bengal, 38 killed and 21 injured in Assam and Meghalaya and five killed and seven injured in Tripura. Among the injured were also eight jawans.
Mr. Raj Narain, Mr. A. D. Mani, Mr. Chitta Basu and others asked whether the Government would pay compensation to Indian nationals killed as a result of Pakistani firing.
Mr. Pant said in certain situations the principle of compensation could not be applied meticulously. “This is one of those situations,” he said.
Mr. Pant said he agreed that it was the duty of the Government to protect the frontiers. The Government had taken all steps to stop the intrusion by Pakistani armed forces. “We have driven back the intruders.” Though the Government had all sympathies to those who had suffered, in such a situation it was not possible to pay compensation to everyone.
Mr. Pant rejected a demand made by several members that the Government should pay compensation. He said: “This principle of paying compensation, we cannot accept. In 1965 when there was an undeclared war between India and Pakistan, Indian nationals suffered losses of all kinds. But no compensation was paid in those cases.”
Mr. Raj Narain walked out of the House as a protest against the Government policy of not paying any compensation to the Indian nationals. While walking out, he said “neither have the Government accorded recognition to the Bangladesh Government nor have they given military assistance to them. Now the Government are not giving compensation to Indian nationals killed by Pakistanis inside Indian territory.”
Reference: Hindustan Standard, 18.06.1971