So he has really served notice not only on us but on the entire world and he is accusing India of interfering in the internal affairs of Bangladesh. So the irony of the whole thing is that what started as a trouble, as a revolt, of the people of Bangladesh has now been made a source of trouble for us, and we are being accused of interfering in the affairs of Pakistan. I would like to know how long this Government will continue this particular posture which is really heaping humiliation on our head. We have to receive all the refugees, and the refugees are coming in such large number that only yesterday the Minister in charge of refugees said that did not know when the influx would stop. Not only that. He said that they had already reached the colossal figure of 70 lakhs. He said that lakhs of refugees are expected because there is likely to be a famine in Bangladesh. So it looks that India will always be at the receiving end. On the top of it, Yahya Khan threatens a general war and he also says that he is not alone. What is the reaction? The reaction is, again he has repeated what he said in the Lok Sabha that if we are attacked we will defend ourselves. Is this the postural? Are we not already attacked? This number of 70 lakhs of refugees, he himself said, is a sort of civil invasion. Now, when this invasion country when it continues to a point where the entire economy of this country will be ruined, where this country may be involved in communal strife, where this country will be completely humiliated in the eyes of the internal world, when all this is happening, al that the Foreign Minister has to say in reply in the Lok Sabha and even today is that if we are attacked, we shall defend ourselves, When will you give up the defensive position and when will you tell the world frankly and unequivocally that India has reached its limit of patience, we cannot bear any more now, we just cannot tolerate any further civil invasion or any other invasion and we will be within our rights to lake possession of such territory of East Bengal where we can rehabilitate these refugees, and if it means war, we are ready. Instead of that, he goes on saying that we shall defend ourselves, we shall defend ourselves, and Yahya Khan says that he will declare war, I would like to know what posture India will adopt.
SHRI GODEY MURAHARY: (Uttar Pradesh): He will take note of what is happening
SARDAR SWARAN SINGH: I hope he does not expect me to answer his question. So far as our posture is concerned, I have spelt it our very clearly in the statement and i would appeal to the hon. Member not to crate difficulties by verbal presentation which is not in our own interest. That is the only appeal that I can make.
SHRICHITTA BASU: (West Bengal). That has been no answer from the Minister.
SHRI CHITTA BASU: May I know from the hon. Minister whether he has considered that the question of recognizing Bangladesh today has acquired greater and larger urgency in the context of what is happening round the world?
SARDAR SWARAN SINGH: Who do you ask me every day?
SHRI CHITTA BASU. He says that every day the question raised by me. I raise it every day because according to me, if the Government of India is really interested in fulfilling the pledge given by it to the people of this country and to the people of Bangladesh, then there is no other way but to recognizes the free, democratic Republic of Bangladesh. They have been saying that they will consider the question of according recognition at the
