Miscellaneous - This Day That Age   

dated May 20, 1954: Ties with Tibet

India's foreign policy was unanimously endorsed by both Houses of Parliament in New Delhi on May 18. Prime Minister Nehru made three speeches, one in the House of the People, while replying to the debate, and two in the Council of States. He reaffirmed India's firm commitment to international obligations. He said that in problems relating to foreign affairs, everything had to be weighed in the two scales of the balance. There were good things and bad things, and both had to be taken into consideration while formulating a decision. Sometimes, a decision had to be taken out of sheer helplessness and even a bad point had to be accepted. All this was inevitable in foreign affairs. But in regard to the recent agreement over Tibet, no mistake had been made, he asserted. "Tibet is a part of China and it is inconceivable that India's army should remain in another free country. Why was the Indian Army, even though it comprised only 300 soldiers, stationed in Tibet? Had India any right to keep any part of her Army in Tibet, whether Tibet was independent or a part of China? The stationing of a contingent of the Indian Army in Tibet was a symbol of British imperialism. It was in the time of Lord Curzon, fifty years ago, that the British in India started on an expansionist drive and entered into some arrangements with countries neighbouring India. But it is impossible to-day to continue any such arrangement. That India should keep troops in Yatung or Gyantse to-day has neither any relation with facts nor with intelligence."

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Miscellaneous

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Updates: Breaking News |

Stories in this Section

• Cartoon
• The Hindu Crossword No. 7988
• Solution to puzzle 7987
• Path of right action
• dated May 20, 1954: Ties with Tibet
• dated May 20, 1954: Stormy session
• dated May 20, 1954: Film Production Bureau
• Weather

Copyright © 2004, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu