GANDHI : INDIA CANNOT REMAIN SILENT
Soviet Appeals for Peaceful Settlement
Prime Minister Indra Gandhi said Sunday India could not remain silent spectator at the events in East Pakistan, but called on her people to keep their emotions in check.
“We must act in a constructive way and not do anything which adds to the difficulties of the People there”, she warned her ruling Congress Party’s all India committee meeting in New Delhi.
Mrs. Gandhi spoke after the committee had unanimously adopted a resolution, pleading all-out support to the people of East Bengal- the pre-independence name for East Pakistan again being used.
Mrs. Gandhi’s plea for restraint following demands by several Congress members. Recognition of the “provisional government of Bangla Desh”, (Bengali Nation) had underlined the pressure being put on the Prime Minister for some action in the East Pakistan.crisis.
India had never interfered in the internal affairs of any other country, she said in countering Pakistani charges of Indian meddling. At the same time, “she has never failed to raise her voice against tyranny or injustice in any part of the world”.
“What is happening in Bangla Desh is something quite out of the ordinary. It is something that is going to have global reprecussions in one way or the other”.
Tremendous applause from the hundreds of party delegates greeted her declaration that India could not remain silent.
Reference : The Djakarta Times, 06.04.1971