| শিরোনাম | সূত্র | তারিখ |
|---|---|---|
| সীমান্তের পরিস্থিতি মারাত্মক, ভারত তথাপি যুদ্ধ এড়াতে চায়? সাংবাদিক সম্মেলনে প্রধানমন্ত্রীর ভাষণ | দৈনিক স্টেটসম্যান | ২০ অক্টোবর, ১৯৭১ |
BORDER SITUATION GRAVE, SAYS MRS. GANDHI
-But India Wants To Avoid War with Pakistan
Early Exchange of Ambassadors with China not Ruled out.
(From Our Political Correspondent)
New Delhi, Oct 19:—Describing the Indo-Pakistani border situation as a “grave one”, Mrs. Indira Gandhi declared here today that India would do everything to avoid an armed conflict. “But you cannot shake hands with a clenched fist”, she added.
However, nobody could prophesy on matters of war. As Pakistani troops had been massing all along the border, India had also taken the necessary defensive measures.
The Prime Minister told a Press Conference this morning that despite the menacing Pakistani postures, her forthcoming tour of Europe and the USA stood “as of now”. She would not say whether the Government proposed to declare an emergency because of the grave situation.
Looking confident and relaxed and replying to a spate of questions in good humour, the Prime Minister rejected the Pakistani President’s suggestion for talks with India on the Bangladesh question while ruling out the personality of mutual withdrawal of troops, Mrs. Gandhi also turned down the Pakistani suggestion for the appointment of a mediator on what possible subject could mediation take place? India was involved in Bangladesh only to the extent that 13% of its population was on Indian territory following Pakistani atrocities.
She made it clear that thought India desired to settle outstanding problems with Pakistan by negotiation, Bangladesh was Indo-Pakistan issue, Bangladesh was essentially a matter between Pakistan’s military regime and the people of Bangladesh. The sooner the Bangladesh refugees returned to their homeland, the better would be the chances of avoiding a possible conflagration between India and Pakistan.
Mrs. Gandhi said there had been no specific suggestions from either the USA or the Soviet Union on how to case the present situation. Everybody admired India’s restraints and showered verbal praised on her. Others who were not restrained however got arms as well.
Mrs. Gandhi was not inclined to comment on the conditions places by the Bangladesh Government for a political settlement beyond stating that the problem was basically between the Pakistani Government and the people of Bangladesh. An acceptable solution had to satisfy the elected representatives of the people-the people who had been elected not so long ago in a free and fair election conducted by the military
