Miscellaneous - This Day That Age   

dated October 4, 1955: PM on merger of Pondy

Prime Minister Nehru has expressed the hope that before long the "legal and constitutional formalities will be gone through so that the people of Pondicherry State may become full citizens of the Republic of India." Addressing a well-attended public meeting in Karaikal, he also paid a tribute to the French Government for the way in which they had agreed to arrive at this friendly settlement about their possessions in India. Mr. Nehru, who was to have addressed the meeting at 8 p.m. arrived in Karaikal only at 9.30 p.m. Expressing regret that he was late, the Prime Minister said, "the fault is not entirely mine; we had a very long journey. We started early in the morning from Salem for Tiruchi and proceeded from there to Tanjore. We addressed mass meetings everywhere and we passed many other towns and villages and after 200 miles of journey we arrived here. I have come here because I have long wanted to come here and welcome you personally into the large brotherhood of India. It is true that in law you are not yet an integral part of the Indian Union. That will come soon - I hope by agreement with the French Republic it will come soon. I pay my tribute to the French Government for the way they agreed to arrive at this friendly settlement. Unfortunately, the Government of Portugal are not so farsighted in regard to the tiny pocket of Goa. They have taken an attitude which is completely indefensible. But as they must know, the Government of India, on their part, intend to pursue methods of peace, and they believe it is wrong to try to solve the question by resort to force. Every one knows - even the Government of Portugal know - that they will have to leave Goa."

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