confirmed that “The rebel resistance in East Pakistan is almost over and the leaders of the Provisional Government were now in India".
Two days later, on 18 April 1971, the New York Times carried an Associated Press dispatch from Indian town of Baidya Nath Tala which said that “the Indian authorities played a major part in the ceremony of the formal proclamation of Bangladesh, half a mile from the Indian border and on 20 April the French daily Le Monde, Paris testified that “The Provisional Government of Bangladesh was proclaimed under a mango tree one mile from the Indian border, but this was done for the benefit of the foreign press to emphasize that it existed on East Pakistan's territory, although the Government was formed in Calcutta".
Recruitment and Training Camps for Insurgents
India is also continuing its game of recruiting and training insurgents for creating trouble in East Pakistan. This was reported on 18 June 1971 by the correspondent of The Times, London, who visited one of the recruiting centres. He said that the officer in charge claimed all the training centers of the so-called “Bangladesh" army were located “somewhere in Bangladesh", but when the correspondent wanted to know the exact location of these camps inside East Pakistan he was brushed off with the reply “It is a military secret". The correspondent added: “There were probably about 100 such sites in Indian West Bengal". The correspondent also reported that the recruiting office was set up in a premise which “outwardly was supposed to be an office for the registration of refugees", and added, “people who were brought in for recruitment were also warned that once they had joined the Mukti Fouj' (liberation army), they could not leave. If they tried to defect, they would be shot".
Earlier, the Gurdian, London had carried a despatch from its correspondent confirming that the Indians were openly sheltering “groups of armed insurgents consisting of deserters of East Pakistan Rifles, militiamen and irregulars who crossed over the borders in recent days". The correspondent said he saw at one border-crossing point “armed riflemen in a tented camp around the Indian Border Security Forces' position".
On 14 May, the Nigerian Tribune, Lagos said that “India had set up six “relief posts' along the East Pakistan-India borders where Indian infiltrators and ammunitions were being passed into East Pakistan to be used against the Pakistan Armed forces. I-Jia then began to mount publicity campaign to give the disturbances in Pakistan an international outlook".
India Poised for Armed Conflict
On 20 May, The Times, London published despatch from its correspondent Mr. Peter Hazelhurst, reporting substantial Indian troop movements along the Pakistan border. “Most of the troops have been billeted at the large Army centre at Barrackpore, 15 miles north of Calcutta, and about 30 miles from the border “, said the correspondent and added: “There are also signs that a large detachment of Indian Army troops have been stationed in Agartala, on the eastern border of East Pakistan".
