Miscellaneous - This Day That Age   

dated February 9, 1957: Nehru's note of warning

Addressing one of the biggest election meetings ever held in Lucknow on February 7, Prime Minister Nehru warned that any wrong step taken by the UN in respect of Kashmir might lead to adverse results not only inside Kashmir, but also in India as well as in Pakistan. He said the acquisition of American arms and ammunition by Pakistan was a matter of anxiety and had changed the entire map of things in this part of the world. Pakistan was raising such a hue and cry about Kashmir to-day because she was "proud" of the arms and ammunition obtained by her. India wanted to respect the decisions of the UN, but she could not forego her rights and forget her responsibilities. "I would respectfully say that India had not in the past and will not in future make any attempt to break away from her commitments. But in the name of peace, apertures for war psychosis should not be opened." He said Mr. V.K. Krishna Menon had pleaded the case of India in respect of Kashmir well, but the Security Council had taken the matter in a different light. "The Kashmir question is not a matter of obstinacy. If anybody disputes our right we must also give a proper reply. The problem mainly relates to the people of Kashmir, where things have changed in the past eight years. A country cannot wait for an indefinite period for the settlement of an issue. So they set up a Constituent Assembly which took certain decisions. From the beginning the people of Kashmir took decisions regarding the administration of the State and all these decisions were integrated by the Kashmir Constituent Assembly. So there was something new. But the Security Council had taken a different view of the whole situation." Mr. Nehru said the Security Council had forgotten that Pakistan was declared the aggressor in Kashmir. She stationed her armed forces on the soil of Jammu and Kashmir and held that portion of Kashmir by force. "Under these circumstances," he added, "India might be faced with further intricate problems. We should, therefore, remain disciplined, united and peaceful, because if any wrong step is taken with regard to Kashmir it would invite disaster."

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