Though the India-Pakistan war
of 1971 was fought between December 3 to December 16, 1971, its ground was
prepared on November 21.
The day is marked with
history defining incidents that completely changed the geopolitics of South
Asia. A nation was again divided and a nation was again born in this corner of
the world and it gave Pakistan a sore point that it will have to survive with
as long as it continues to be ruled (and riled) with the same mindset that its
ruling military and political dispensation of the moment has.
We can rule out any change. It
doesn't look possible in the foreseeable future because Pakistan's ruling elite
including its military and feeble polity derive their sanction from the anti-India
propaganda they propagate and hysteria they create.
The Bangladesh Armed Forces
(its army, navy and air-force) was formed on November 21, 1971 and Bangladesh
celebrates November 21 every year as its Armed Forces Day. It was a more
organized form of the Mukti Bahini, the grouping of Bangladesh freedom fighters
formed in March 1971.
The Indian Army and the
Bangladesh Armed Forces (Mukti Bahini) formed an alliance against Pakistan on
the same day, November 21, 1971.
The Indian Army, with the Mukti
Bahini, had launched attack on strategically important Garibpur Village 7 Kms
deep inside East Pakistan on November 21, 1971. India's 14 Punjab Battalion and
Squadron 45 Cavalry tanks faced Pakistan's army and its tanks. And how hollow Pakistan's
big claims were can be gauged from the fact that India and the Mukti Bahini conquered
the village only in two days, on November 23, while inflicting heavy damage on
the Pakistani side. This unmatched bravery of the Indian Army and the Mukti
Bahini is now known as the 'Battle of Garibpur'.
And the rest - as we all know
- is history. The Indian Army that was so far supporting the Mukti Bahini in
its freedom struggle openly launched offensive against Pakistan and the whole
war affair got over in just 13 days with the declaration of Bangladesh's
liberation on December 16, 1971 wiping out East Pakistan from geographical and
geopolitical map of the world. The images are inscribed in history - Pakistan's
commander Lt. Gen. AA Khan Niazi along with 93000 Pakistani troops and
civilians laying down arms and surrendering before India and signing the 'Instrument
of Surrender' with India's commander Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora.
That is the reason the final stage
of Bangladesh's freedom struggle of 1971, that began on an organized scale in
March 1971 with the formation of Mukti Bahini, is known as the India-Pakistan
war of 1971. Bangladesh celebrates March 26 as its Independence Day, the day on
which it had declared its independence from Pakistan in 1971 while both India
and Bangladesh celebrate December 16 as Vijay Diwas (Victory Day) - the day when
Bangladesh won its freedom in 1971 - or we can say India won the freedom for
Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is celebrating its
45th Independence Day and Victory Day this year and is planning to honour 1971
war veterans from India including the veterans of the 'Battle of Garibpur'.
©SantoshChaubey