WASHINGTON: Citing “knowledgeable sources” in New Delhi correspondent Sydney Sohnberg of the “New York Times” stated on Saturday [May 8] that Indian assistance to “Bangla Desh” insurgents is expected to increase. ...“India has been providing assistance to Bengali insurgents but unofficially. Knowledgeable sources here expect this aid to increase”. Commenting on a decision by Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to delay recognition of the so-called “provisional Bangla Desh government” operating from Calcutta, “New York Times” Delhi correspondent said that she “contended that Indian recognition now might hurt Bengalis’ cause by seeming to substantiate the Pakistani charge that the independence struggle was engineered by India... .”

In the words of “New York Times” Mrs Gandhi wanted to see if Bengali independence fighters could establish effective administrative control over a sizable area. ... Mrs Gandhi admitted before a closed door meeting in New Delhi that “friendly countries” approached by India “tended to regard the [issue] as Pakistan’s internal matter”.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2021