March 31, 1971
You haven’t spoken of Sri Aurobindo in a long time.
Me, I have nothing to say.
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What about Sri Aurobindo, is he saying anything?
(after a silence)
He’s very busy with … (gesture to the north) with everything happening in the country.
It’s serious, you know.
But what is India waiting for?
Waiting for what?
Well, to recognize that country.[[To recognize officially the "provisional government" of Bangladesh under the leadership of Sheikh Mujibur. Only eight months later, on December 6, would India recognize Bangladesh. ]]
Oh, she has recognized it!
No, Mother, she hasn’t.
They told me….
She has expressed her "sympathy," that’s all. But she hasn’t
recognized it.
I received news from the government today. They told me they were waiting to hear from America before granting official recognition.[[t was more a matter of making sure America would not oppose the independence of Bangladesh! ]]
Good…. Well, it’s about time.
(silence)
But she shouldn’t need America to do that!
It’s against China, you see. China is the only country that supports Pakistan. [[President Nixon will send warships to threaten India in case she intervenes on the side of Bangladesh. ]]
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I think the whole world is waiting for India to recognize
Bangladesh in order to follow suit — they’re waiting for it.
Not quite — they’ve all made up their mind.[[Alas. . . . ]]
(silence)
Because a lot of people are dying up there.
Oh! … (Mother makes a gesture of horror) it’s dreadful.
Yes.
It’s a massacre.
Yes. And then every day they send troops [West Pakistan] and
tanks and planes…. It seems to me…. I don’t know …
there’s no time to lose.
(silence)
But 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 should be done, but they don’t…. They ask, but they do just what they think.
We’ll see…. I have only one means, you know, it’s … (gesture of pressing the Force upon the world). All I can do (same gesture) is to put pressure with the Force.
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