745 বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ চতুর্দশ খন্ড Padmaja Naidu was called in at the conference when it discussed relief problems. At her meeting with Mr. Ajoy Mukherji and Mr. Nahar, where Mr. Siddhartha Ray was also present, problems relating to West Bengal came up for discussion. Contacted later. Mr. Nahar said some serious problems were discussed but he refused to disclose what transpired at the meeting. Huge Problem About her impression regarding the refugee problem, she told reporters: "It is a huge problem and we are finding it difficult to deal with it. We have a shortage of commodities and in the circumstances the Government has done good work" She was aware that many were still without shelter and "it takes time for articles to come" when asked if any help was expected from abroad, she said that one might hope for it, "But nothing much has come so far from other countries" she added. She felt that if outside assistance in relief material came, India would know what was coming and from which agencies. In reply to a question, the Prime Minister said evacuees would have to leave as soon as possible, but "how soon that will be possible, I do not know". She thought that international bodies might create conditions for the evacuees to go back to their homeland, Commenting on Pakistans claim that normality had returned in Bangladesh as far as the Pakistan Government was concerned, Mrs. Gandhi said that it is a very convenient way of achieving normality by removing the people and this to my mind is not normality. The Union Government was considering proposals for dispersal of evacuees from the border areas. Such dispersal, the Prime Minister said, would pose a great problem for Tripura. which was a very small State. She said arrangements for given shelter to the evacuees in other parts of the country were being considered. She was not however, sure ifthat would be possible. Asked to comment on the demands by different sections of the people as well as by many political party for arms aid to freedom fighters in Bangladesh. Mrs. Gandhi said that she had "no comment, no reaction." Regarding repatriation of the Indian diplomats from Dacca, she agreed with the suggestion that the issue was deadlocked because of the refusal by the Pakistan Government to accept any proposal. Mrs. Gandhi said newspapers required to be very cautious in publishing news and views. It was possible that enemy agents were around. Care should be taken so that the evacuee problem, which should be treated as a national concern, might not be turned into a communal issue. She said there had been cases of the Pakistan Army resorting to firing across the border into India. In such cases some steps were taken. "It might not always be possible however to take action", the Prime Minister added,
