ARMS PACT OPPOSED

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29051, 13 November 1959, Page 13

ARMS PACT OPPOSED

Nehru Rejects Demands DEW AS (Northern India), November 11. The Indian Prime Minister (Mr Nehru) said today that the demand for a military alliance to meet the danger of Chinese attacks came from people with faint hearts, cold feet, and cold hands. The lesson learnt from Gandhi by his generation was to remain fearless in the face of danger, he told a meeting during his tour of the provinces. Rejecting military alliances, he reaffirmed the country’s policy of non-alignment and said: “Our entire history teaches us that the country came to pieces whenever another danger was invited (from the outside) to repffi one danger within. “We may have made a thousand mistakes, but we have not learnt to bow our head before anyone.” Mr Nehru said: “The Chinese did the wrong thing in making these attacks on our borders. It is an intolerable thing and we will not tolerate this. We will face these things with whatever strength we possess.

“We are taking steps to meet this situation and we will do so with all our strength. We are not a weak country,” he said.

The Indian Communist Party was in a quandry because of the border attacks, as it had its roots and mind outside India, and sought advice from others. It now had to decide whether to side with India or an outside Power on this issue.