1971 created historic Indo-Bangla bond
Pranab Mukherjee tells Victory Day celebration programme in Delhi
India yesterday celebrated Vijay Diwas as President Pranab Mukherjee said the victory of Bangladesh's freedom fighters and Indian military over the Pakistani army in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War set up a “historic linkage” between India and Bangladesh, which would enhance cooperation between New Delhi and Dhaka.
Mukherjee lauded the "able and mature leadership of Bangabandhu [Sheikh Mujibur Rahman] and described him as the father of Bangladesh and praised the helping hand provided by India under the leadership of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to uphold the dignity of human lives and also the basic fundamental rights of individuals to have its "freedom from the atrocities of military junta of Pakistan".
"It was the conspiracy of the military junta and ruling Pakistan to deny the legitimate rights of the people of East Pakistan to have their own elected government," he said in a video message during a seminar on 1971 India-Pakistan War and the liberation of Bangladesh, organised by India Foundation at Nehru Memorial Museum and Library in New Delhi.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman received a massive mandate from the people of Bangladesh, winning majority seats in the National Assembly, and as per the normal democratic practice, he should have been invited by the president to form his government, Mukherjee said.
Instead of that, denying the basic democratic rights of the people of Bangladesh, the military junta started cracking down on the civilians from the midnight of March 25, 1971, he said.
He said the historic linkage created by the heroic struggle would "no doubt further enhance the cooperation between India and Bangladesh, particularly in the context when we share common histories, heritage and tradition".
"We are fortunate to have poet Rabindranath Tagore to compose national anthems for both the countries,” he said.
The seminar was also attended by India's Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh, former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav, Bangladesh Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, and India Foundation Director Shakti Sinha.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to the Indian Armed Forces on Vijay Diwas and said the occasion “is a fitting reminder of the valour and sacrifice of all those who fought courageously in the 1971 war. Tributes to them”.