Round The World
New Delhi, 24 December 2021
Vijay Diwas 2021
50 YEARS AFTER
By Dr. D.K. Giri
(Prof. International Politics, JIMMC)
Vijay Diwas marks the
passage of 50 years since the historic day in 1971. This day, the 16 December
1971, a new country was born, Bangladesh. Another country, Pakistan was
vivisected after 24 years of its creation. India, the mother country was torn
twice, once after a lot of bloodshed in a civil conflict, again in 1971 in a war
engaging three countries-- East Pakistan (Bangladesh), West Pakistan (Pakistan)
and India. For Bangladesh, it was a moment of celebration, for Pakistan, one of
defeat and disgrace and for India, on deeper reflection, one could say, it
could be a mixed bag of feelings, as it was to engage in a bloody conflict
twice in 25 years or so and split twice.
Let us recall the
events around the historic moment and ponder over how we celebrate these now
and in future. Fifty years is a long period in history to reflect on
developments that changed the shape of South Asian region. To recall briefly,
after Independence, India was divided into two countries-- India and Pakistan--
the latter was further divided into two territories-- West Pakistan and East
Pakistan. Culturally both were different. East Pakistan was, in fact, East
Bengal as the Muslim majority part split away from Bengal. The part remaining
with India is still called West Bengal. The East Pakistanis spoke Bangla and
are broadly part of Hindu traditionsalthough they are Muslims. Both East
Pakistan (Bangladesh) and West Pakistan are on the East and West of India.
The East Pakistanis
were discriminated in multiple ways by West Pakistani administration. There was
enormous resentment in East Pakistan. It reached a boiling point when Pakistan
Peoples’Party declined to hand over power to the AwamiLeague, which had
genuinely won the elections in East Pakistan. In utter frustration, the AwamiLeaguedeclaredindependence
from Pakistan. Then West Pakistan army occupied East Pakistan. The trail of
oppression began-- rape, torture, murder, plunder-- forcing a heavy exodus of
refugees from East Pakistan into India. The barbarism was carried out by the
Pakistan army under the Operation Searchlight.
However, for India,
the tipping point came when Pakistan attacked Indian airbases. Mrs. Indira
Gandhi, then the Prime Minister, in retaliation, declared a full-scale war on
Pakistan. In a matter of 13 days, India won the war forcing Pakistan to
surrender on 16 December 1971. This momentous day is celebrated as Vijay
Diwas (the Victory Day). This year, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, in the
celebration, had this to say in a tweet, “on the 50th a Vijay
Diwas, I recall the great valourand sacrifice by the Muktijodhas, Biranganas,
and brave-hearts of Indian armed forces. Together, we fought and defeated
oppressive forces. Rashtrapatiji’s presence in Dhaka is of special significance
to every Indian.”
As a part of the
celebration, the golden jubilee of the victory, Prime Minister Modi, on 16thDecember
Thursday, conducted a solemn ceremony at the National War Memorial at the India
Gate. The day is also remembered as the biggest ever victory since the second
World War as a staggering number of Pakistani soldiers, 93,000 men surrendered
to the Indian army unconditionally. In the celebration, the Prime Minister was
accompanied by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and the three defence chiefs. A
commemorative stamp to remember the valour of the brave hearts was unveiled.
It is in order to
celebrate the historic days like 16 December 1971. It displayed and exemplified
the heroism, bravery, and sacrifice of Indians in liberation of Bangladesh.
Note that, the Europeans remember the holocaust to reflect on the cruelties
committed by the Nazi dictator. Many former colonies celebrate their
independence days from the colonial empires. Democratic Counties celebrate the
day of adoption of their Constitutions and so forth.
What is, however,
important and necessary is to learn the lessons from history, good and
bad. To quote George Santayana,the Spanish-born American
philosopher who is regarded as one of the most important thinkers of the
first half of the 20th century, and one of the most prominent champions of
critical realism, a critic, dramatist, educator, essayist, novelist, and poet--
all rolled into one, “ Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat
it”. He said prophetically about history and what it teaches us.
Santayana’s
profound advice was articulated nicely by Rajnath Singh that”this war tells us
that the partition of India on the basis of religion was a historic mistake.
Pakistan was born in the name of a religion, it could not remain one entity”,
Therefore, religion is an untenable tool or basis of making a country. Religion
is subjective, individual or community based, and not good for governance. Principles
of a religion are not universally shared causing inter-religious and even
intra-religiouscontentions, conflict and violence.
At best, the
genuinely and truly religious citizens could contribute to the construction of
a saner society imbued with humanism -- love, compassion, fellowship, piousness
and so on, these are the principles that underpin most religions. Furthermore, many
in India, even in the ruling dispensation, talk about reclaimingAkhandBharat
(the Undivided India). They perhaps mean India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Those
subscribing to the concept of Bharata Varshacall India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet,
Sri Lanka and Burma are one nation. They had all embraced Sanatan
Dharma. However, that is another story.
In the context of Vijay Diwas, in current times, we
need to celebrate it in a different way. The prominent hero of the Second World
War, Winston Churchill had said, “In War: Resolution,
In Defeat: Defiance, In Victory: Magnanimity, In Peace: Good Will.” We recall
the atrocities not to repeat them, we recall the sacrifice to honour them in
gratefulness. We take the last words of Churchill, that is peace. We are in
peace times, as a full-scale war is ruled out between nuclear countries. Therefore, we promote good will, vow not to
nurture hatred or hubris, seek security, unity and development.
Vijay Diwas today should
mean victory of over hatred and hubris. Sounds moralistic, not pragmatic! But
that is the way to go. To be sure, our Prime Minister, who is known to conceive
so many new ideas to the world, could come up with such a frame of new thinking
in our foreign policy towards our neighbours and defeat the designs of the
vested interestmeddling in our neighbourhood. –INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)
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