Bangladesh's birth 'significant event' in Pranab's public life

Former Indian president Pranab Mukherjee has said the birth of an independent Bangladesh remains the “most significant” event in his public life.

“To my mind it is Bangladesh, the birth of a nation of 12 or 13 crore people in 1971. That is the most significant event since I joined public life,” Pranab told The Times of India in an interview published yesterday.

He said he still remembers that Indira Gandhi, the then prime minister, made a short statement in both Houses saying, “I am happy to inform the House that Pakistan army has surrendered to the joint command of the Indian army and the Bangladesh Mukti Bahini and now Dhaka is the free capital of free Bangladesh.”

On pronouncement on the two-nation theory, the former Indian president said that will be an over-simplification of the whole issue because the theory was challenged at the very time of its pronouncement.