PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 883
“Asia for Asiatics”. Yes, in so far as colonialism is concerned, that principle is perfectly true. Asia must be for Asiatics, but we are dealing with a situation like this ? Is Asia one today ? In what sense ? Asia is divided now, it is a divided house now. More than half of Asia is communist. It has adopted a different principle of life and a different principle of Government. The rest of Asia follows a different life and a different principle of Government. What unity can there be among Asiatics ? What is the use of talking about Asia for Asiatics ? There can be no such thing at all. Asia is already becoming the cockpit of war and strife among Asians themselves. Therefore, it is better to align ourselves with what we call free nations if we believe in freedom.
One word about Goa. There can be no doubt that the Prime Minister in pursuing the policy of getting Goa evacuated is quite right. It is a very sound policy and everybody must lend his support to him. I do. But there is one observation that I would like to make. This question about the evacuation of Goa by the Portuguese and handing it over to India was, if I remember aright, brought to his notice very early when we got our independence. I possess with me some notes which were submitted to him by a delegation—I have forgotten their names, but I have got them with me—but the Prime Minister took no active interest in it. I am very sorry to say that, because I feel that if the Prime Minister had in the very beginning taken an active interest in the matter. I am sure about it that a small police action on the part of the Government of India would have been quite sufficient to enable us to get possession of Goa, but he has always been only shouting against them, only shouting and doing nothing. The result has been that the Portuguese have been able, so far as we know, to garrison Goa. Of course, the Prime Minister’s information must be correct and must be accepted by us that Goa is still defenseless, that there is no garrison there, no army there, brought by the Portuguese.
Shri Jawaharlal Nehru: I said no such thing.
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: I thought he said so, but whatever it is, the point now is this : Personally I myself think that