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"The only thing necessary for the triumph
of evil is for good men to do nothing"
India has always endeavoured in the past 45 years to maintain friendly and amicable relations with Pakistan. It left no stone unturned to placate the unplacable Pakistan. India's aim has been to offer full co-operation to Pakistan in every field and see her prospering. According to Treaty of partition in 1947, India had to receive three hundred crores of rupees from Pakistan against fifty-five crores, which came to the share of Pakistan, as division of cash balances of undivided India. Mahatma Gandhi, at the behest of Lord Mountbatten, persuaded the Government of India to write off the share of Rs. 300 crores and pay up Pakistan's share of Rs.55 crores. Gandhiji undertook fast unto death for this purpose. When the Government of India accepted the demand, Gandhiji ended the fast. This action took place at a time when lakhs of Hindus and Sikhs were being slaughtered in Pakistan and Indian army was fighting a bloody war with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir. The action cost Gandhiji his own life. The Government of India established communal peace within one month. The immigration of Muslims from India to Pakistan completely ceased. Also Government permitted two million Muslims to return to India and re-occupy their lands and property. On the other hand, no Hindu or Sikh was allowed to remain in West Pakistan.
West Punjab (Pakistan) was widely irrigated. Out of 25 canals in the united Punjab, 23 were in West Punjab (Pakistan) and only 2 in East Punjab (India). East Punjab was almost dry and barren. Millions of destitute Hindu and Sikh refugees who had taken shelter here had to be provided food, clothing and shelter. Even then, peace-loving India sacrificed her own vital interests and supplied water to Pakistan from its Madhopur and Hussainwala headworks. When Pakistan was at war with India, in the face of loud and long protests from the people, India paid the annual instalment of Rs. 8 crores to Pakistan. A week after the cease-fire in 1965, India let out water into Pakistani canals in the teeth of opposition from her own Punjab State which included Haryana also at that time. During the cease-fire period, Pakistani Sabre jets made frequent attempts to destroy the Sutlej barrage at Sulemanki and the Sutlej bridge to cut off our supply line. In spite of this, canal water continued to be supplied to Pakistan. The Indus Water Treaty itself had been accepted by India after sacrificing her own interests only to maintain brotherly relations with Pakistan. Since 1949, India has been offering to Pakistan a No-War Pact but Pakistan has treated it with utmost contempt.
Pakistan's hatred against India knows no bounds. The first Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawabzada Liaqat Ali Khan purpled with passion, stamping and fuming, shook his fist in the air pointing it towards India, saying that the fist was their national emblem and with it they would deal with India. Another Government of Pakistan declared that every Pakistani would become Halaku and Changez Khan for India. Still another Government of Pakistan threatened India to drown its soil in a sea of blood. Ayub and Bhutto proclaimed a thousand years' war against India.
Author:Shri Dinanath Raina
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