The Indians need a mass famine: Nixon

May 26, 1971

On May 26, 1971 American President Richard Nixon had a telephone conversation with his Assistant for National Security Affairs Henry Kissinger on the situation in East Pakistan.

Referring to Indira Gandhi's letter to Nixon, Kissinger suggested that the US president should answer the letter and use it to put pressure on Indira not to take military action.

He also requested Nixon to send a reply to Pakistan President Yahya Khan's letter, which according to him "would give him [Yahya] an excuse to answer all the things by saying, listing all the things he's doing because he can't get any publicity here".

As to the content of the letter to Yahya, Kissinger suggested, "You just say you hope the refugees will soon be able to go back to East Pakistan. He will then reply to you [saying] that's exactly what he wants. I've got it all arranged with the embassy. Then you can take credit. You can tell the Indians to pipe down and we'll keep Yahya happy."

Nixon agreed with Kissinger and said, "The Indians need—what they need really is a… a mass famine. But they aren't going to get that. We're going to feed them -- a new kind of wheat. But if they're not going to have a famine the last thing they need is another war. Let the goddamn Indians fight a war."

NAZRUL'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATED

The exiled government of Bangladesh today observed the 72nd birthday of poet Kazi Nazrul Islam at a simple ceremony. A spokesman of the Bangladesh government told reporters that on the occasion of the rebel poet's birthday the Bangladesh people renewed their pledge to eliminate the West Pakistani troops and their sycophants from the soil of Bangladesh. Hossain Ali, chief of Bangladesh Mission in Kolkata, paid floral tribute to the poet on behalf of the Bangladesh government.

BANGLADESH DEVELOPMENTS

A THREAT TO INDIA: INDIRA

Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi reiterated in the Lok Sabha today that the developments in Bangladesh posed a threat to security of India and also to the peace in South-East Asia. Indira Gandhi, who was winding up a debate on Bangladesh, regretted that when democracy had so brutally been destroyed in Bangladesh, "we do not hear much comment nor do we see the spontaneous response" that was expected from abroad.

While urging the members to have faith in "the courageous people of Bangladesh and their determination to fight for their rights", the Indian prime minister did not commit the government on the question of recognition of the Bangladesh government.

She repeated, "The matter is constantly under review. We have given deep and anxious thought to all aspects."

Shamsuddoza Sajen is a journalist and researcher. He can be contacted at sajen1986@gmail.com