India - the Mother

March 31, 1971

(Five days earlier, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared the independence of Bangladesh, formerly East Pakistan. West Pakistan retaliated with wholesale massacre and the arrest of the Bengali leader. By mid-April, the Pakistani army will be in total control of Bangladesh, causing a huge influx of Bengali refugees into India. India will intervene only eight months later, in December.)

I got news from the government today. They told me they were trying to agree with America before granting official recognition [of Bangladesh].⁶⁷

Good.... Yes, its about time. But India shouldn't need America to do that!

It's against China, you see. China is the only country that supports Pakistan.

I think the whole world is waiting for India to recognize Bangladesh in order to follow suit—they're waiting for it.... Because a lot of people are dying there.

Oh!... (Mother makes a gesture of horror) it's dreadful.

Yes.

It's a slaughter.

Yes. And every day they [West Pakistan] send troops and tanks and planes. It seems to me ... I don't know ... there's no time to lose. [After a silence] India should have the courage to intervene, Mother.

(Mother goes deep within, then, after a long time, makes a gesture as if to say, "What can be done?" and goes back within) This very morning, they asked me what they should do, but they only do ... They ask, but they only do what they think.

We'll see. I have only one means, you know, it's ... (gesture of pressing the Force on the world). All I can do (same gesture) is to put pressure with the Force.

Mother's Agenda: March 31, 1971