From the Archives (May 19, 1971): Diplomatic drive to expose Pak. guilt

New Delhi, May 18: As part of its general diplomatic drive to build up international opinion against Pakistan’s barbarous behaviour in East Bengal, India is deputing special emissaries to the more important world capitals to put across its point of view forcefully at the highest levels of Government. The idea is to explain personally to the heads of State and heads of Government — on a selective basis wherever it is possible to establish direct contact with the top men — the magnitude of the refugee problem and the inherent dangers of an Indo-Pakistan conflict, if the Yahya regime persists in its present policy of massacre and mass expulsions to alter the population balance in Pakistan. The high level contacts with various countries, which are in a position to exert pressure or exercise influence on Pakistan either through gentle arm-twisting or friendly persuasion, are intended to supplement the diplomatic efforts already being made by the Indian missions there to rebut the mischievous Pakistan propaganda that the so-called secessionist movement in East Bengal is of India’s creation — and that if in the bargain India has saddled itself with this refugee problem it has only to thank itself for it.