INDIAN ARMY MUST BE PREPARED FOR EVENTUALITY -Minister Ram
Pakistan Charged with Violating Borders
NEW DELHI,- India’s Defence Minister, Jagjivan Ram, Sunday called on army troops to be prepared for any eventuality- including war- which might result from the East Pakistan crisis.
‘We are a peace loving country and we want to avoid war But Pakistan is creating a situation where war may be thrust on us”, Ram told army troops at Jullundur, near the Indo-West Pakistan border 210 miles (330 kms) northwest of Delhi.
Ram called on the troops to be prepared “to meet any eventuality that might arise because of the desperate acts” of Pakistan’s millitay rulers in East Pakistan.
He also charged that Pakistan had been violating India’s eastern borders. No recogition of Bangla Desh
Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi meanwhile returned in New Delhi Sunday after a two-day visit to Kashmir.
She told reporters before leaving Srinagar, the Kashmir capital, that the time had not yet come for India to recognise “Bangla Desh (Bengal nation)”.
She was speaking even as Dr. A.R. Mullick, Vice Chancellor of India and other countries to recognise “the sovereign republic of Bangla Desh”, declared independent in an East Pakistan mango grove on April 17.
Dr. Mullick is the leader of a three-man East Bengali team touring India urging recognition of the Bangla Desh government. Dr. Mullick speaking at a reception given by the Press Club of India said the Government lavels composed of members of the Awami League, whch had won 162 out of 169 East Pakistani seats in elections to a Pakistan National Assembly last December.
The other members of the delegation are Dr. Anisus Zaman, general secretary of the East Pakistan Teachers Association, and Subid Ali, Awami League member of the abortive National Assembly.
PTI’s reports
The Press Turst of India (PTI), quoting a report from its correspondent in the West Bengal border town of Cooch Behar, said two Pakistan army mortar shells fell on the border settlement of Sahebganj Sunday. No casulties were reported. PTI quoted reports reaching Cooch Behar that Pakistani soldiers had abandoned
the East Pakistan border post of Bhurangamari, opposite Sahebganj, after being subjected to a series of commando raids by the Mukti Fouj (liberation army).
PTI quoting Mukti Fouj sources at Hatibanda in Rangpur district of East Pakistan said Pakistan troops there were unsuccessfully trying to repair a railway track because of destructive commando attacks each night.
PTI, quoting reports reaching the Assam town of Karimaganj from across the East Pakistan border, said the Mukti Fouj in Sythet district had captured two east Pakistani soldiers, one of them a member of the 22nd Baluch regiment. The report also claimed 30 West Pakistani troops were killed in the district last week.
PTI claimed also that at least two Indian civilians-a women and child were injured early Sunday when for two hours the Pakistan Army pumped mortar shells 1000 yards (metres) inside Indian territory on to the town of Haridaspur near the Indian border post of Petrapole 50 miles (30 kllometres northeast of Calcutta.
PTI alleged Pakistani troops sprayed Indian Borde Security Forces (BSF) at petrapole with small arms fire. The BSF, which suffered no casualties, returned the fire.
Reference : The Djakarta times, 22.06.1971