Miscellaneous - This Day That Age   

dated March 31, 1956: Pak. must quit Kashmir

Prime Minister Nehru declared in the Lok Sabha on March 29 that the talk of a plebiscite in Kashmir was entirely beside the point and could not be brought up until the first essential step of the withdrawal of Pakistan's armed forces from Kashmir territory was complied with fully. Intervening in the debate on the External Affairs Ministry's demands for grants, he said he had told representatives of Pakistan that while he was always willing to discuss any aspect of the Kashmir problem, "we must take the existing facts as they are and proceed on that basis," in seeking to find a solution. In any consideration of the Kashmir problem the initial fact of Pakistan's aggression must be borne in mind. Secondly, Pakistan had no business to be in Kashmir. Legally and constitutionally Kashmir acceded to India and therefore it was the latter's duty to defend the former against any invasion. Mr. Nehru went a step further and contended that even if Kashmir had not acceded to India it would still be the duty of the latter to go to the rescue of Kashmir. Under the partition arrangement India was the continuing entity and whichever territory did not opt to join Pakistan continued to remain part of India and hence it was India's duty to defend Kashmir. Mr. Nehru revealed that before sending troops to Kashmir he had consulted Gandhiji and that it was the latter's advice that it was India's duty to send armed forces to protect Kashmir. Amidst thunderous applause, Mr. Nehru referred to the prosperity, never before experienced, of the Kashmir State and the all-time record of 50,000 tourists last year to refute the observations of the Pakistan President and Prime Minister about the "abject slavery prevailing in Kashmir." Without venturing a direct comment on the state of affairs prevailing in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Mr. Nehru said he could only mention that there was a continuous attempt on the part of the people on the Pakistan side to enter Kashmir and share in her prosperity.

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