despite their public bravado-are beginning to realize that they are trapped in an unwinnable guerrilla War.
A Talk With Indira's Prime Minister Gandhi
Two week ago. Newsweek's Arnaud de Borchgrave interviewed Pakistan's President Mohammed Yahya Khan. Last week, with Pakistan and India still teetering on the verge of war. Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi gave an exclusive interview to Newsweek's Foreign Editor Edward Klein. Below, excerpt:
On War With Pakistan
For a long time, even though there were very provocative and threatening actions and speeches by the President of Pakistan, India did not do anything. Now, when we feel that we are being threatened, we simply can't leave our border undefended. I don't know any country in the world that would say, “We leave our border undefended".... What should we do when this is happening on our border? Do we just sit quietly and say. “Do whatever you like even if its consequences to us arc so great"?....This I would say: by and large the Indian people don't want war. We do have vocal elements who have been wanting war. But we don't have among the people an anti-Pakistan movement as Pakistan has a hate-India movement I sincerely hope that there will not be a war and I am doing everything possible to keep it from happening.... The threat of war is considerably less since we moved our troops to the border of West Pakistan. But. of course, as the situation heals up in the east, that is where the threat is. We feel every day the danger to eastern India is increasing.
On Supporting The Bengalis
Only when, the refugees started coming can you say that India had a hand in the Pakistan crisis. Only after all the Pakistan Army terror can you say, “Well may be some of the guerrillas do come over from India".... Some of the training may be taking place on our side, but certainly not all of it. Even now the guerrillas are not dependent on India. As you know, the majority of the guerrillas are the paramilitary forces of East Bengal.... And they're the ones who are training new people.... What the Bengalis consider to be the spirit of their people has been very deeply wounded. And while that spirit is there, the Pakistani Army will have to kill all the 75 million people in Last Bengal before they can have control over them. . . . India can only prevent such a massacre in small indirect ways. And I have absolutely no hesitation in saying that if I were placed in a situation like the Bengalis, I certainly would fight. After all. we did fight the British and we have encouraged independence struggles all over the world.
On The Bengali Refugees
Taking care of the refugees means cutting a lot of our programs, it means a certain austerity in living, cutting government spending and reorienting various schemes and programs. It is indeed a very, very heavy burden. I don't think it will cripple our economy, we won't go under with it but the major danger is not this burden, which is
