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Vijay Diwas-16 December: History of 1971

PWOnlyIAS December 08, 2023 03:55 1810 0

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Vijay Diwas is celebrated across India on December 16 to commemorate India’s victory in the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.

Vijay Diwas-16 December: History of 1971

Context: Vijay Diwas is celebrated across India on December 16 to commemorate India’s victory in the Bangladesh Liberation War.

About Vijay Diwas

  • Aim: Vijay Diwas marks India’s victory against Pakistan in the 1971 war when 93000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered in Dhaka.
  • Significance of the Day
    • Celebrate Bravery: Vijay Diwas celebrates the fearless whim and vigour of our armed forces. It is a testimony of India’s military power.
    • Remember Sacrifice: Vijay Diwas immortalizes the story of every single brave Indian Army person who sacrificed his life during the 1971 war against Pakistan.
      • It also honours the soldiers who put their lives on the line for the nation and were severely wounded during the conflict.
    • Birth of a Nation: It was on this day that the new nation of Bangladesh was born. Following the signing of the instrument of surrender, East Pakistan ceased to exist. Hence, the day is also known as Bijoy Dibos in Bangladesh.

History of 1971: Bangladesh Liberation War

  • Background:  After partition, Pakistani territories were divided into West Pakistan and East Pakistan.  Despite the common religion, there were clear racial and socio-cultural differences between West and East Pakistan.
    • Efforts to integrate the cultures of West and East Pakistan were proving difficult due to the vast geographical distance between the two parts.
  • Building of Tensions: The leader of East Pakistan, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, sought the right to self-govern in East Pakistan six points. In the general elections of 1970, Mujib’s Awami League won 167 out of 169 seats in East Pakistan, thereby attaining a near-absolute majority in the 313-seat National Assembly.
    • West Pakistani leaders, led by the military dictator Yahya Khan, refused to cede the Premiership of Pakistan to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, creating tensions in East Pakistan.
    • Sheikh Mujib called for strikes across the country. It was followed by mob violence and arson. The Pakistani President announced a military crackdown in East Pakistan.
  • West Pakistan’s Response: In a series of events, Dhaka was captured and the Awami League was outlawed. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was arrested and transported to West Pakistan.
    • The military launched Operation Searchlight and Operation Barisal to eliminate the intellectual elite and supporters of a separate East Pakistan.
    • Independence of Bangladesh was announced and the exiled Awami League leaders formed the government in exile. Many Pakistani army personnel defected to the rebel camp.
    • The Bangladeshi forces made up of former Pakistani army personnel, came to be known as the Mukti Bahini. The Mukti Bahini was a guerilla force that consisted of regular as well as volunteers.
  • Refugee Crisis: India’s involvement became necessary following a refugee crisis. The West Pakistani army resorted to widespread genocide against Bengalis, especially the minority Hindus. Many of these groups sought refuge in India.
    • India asked for the support of Western countries in handling the burden of the refugee crisis. However, after finding no support, the Indian government declared support for the East Pakistan independence movement.
  • India’s Interference: Initially, India provided tactical support to the rebel groups. It set up training camps for volunteers of Mukti Bahini and also made efforts to boost the morale of the fighting forces.
    • The onset of war looked inevitable after the “Crush India” campaign in Pakistan. The Pakistani establishment made all efforts to prepare for a war with India.
    • The Indian army was bidding time before the formal declaration of war was made. The forces were already inside East Pakistani territory along with the Mukti Bahini.
  • Official Beginning of War: The war officially began with Pakistan’s Operation Chengiz Khan, consisting of preemptive aerial strikes on 11 Indian air stations.
    • India retaliated with a larger air strike on Pakistani positions. The Indian Prime Minister officially announced that India was at war with Pakistan.
  • Events during the War: The Indian Navy launched Operation Trident on the port of Karachi, destroying Pakistani assets stationed at the harbor. This effectively paralyzed the Pakistani Navy.
    • With tactical air support, Indian ground forces converged on the capital Dhaka. The Dhaka airport was closed, effectively blocking out East Pakistan.
  • Surrender: Following India’s capture of Dhaka, Pakistani forces had two options: either fight and perish or surrender. However, Pakistani forces were fearful of public anger in case of surrender.
    • Lt. Gen Jagjit Singh Arora, Commander of India’s Eastern Army met Pakistani Commander Lt. Gen AAK Niazi to broker an agreement to surrender.
    • After much deliberation, the Pakistani officer agreed to surrender. He symbolically surrendered by handing over his revolver to Lt Gen Arora.
    • The surrender took place at the Ramna Race Course in Dhaka on 16 December 1971 wherein 93,000 Pakistani troops laid down their weapons and surrendered to the Allied Forces led by India.

Impact of Bangladesh Liberation War

  • Humiliation for Pakistan: The loss in the war and public surrender humiliated Pakistan.  Pakistan did not recover from the shock defeat in East Pakistan.
  • Loss of Manpower and Assets: Pakistan lost half of its population and a significant portion of its economy. A large part of its military assets were destroyed. After the war, Pakistan was no longer the largest Muslim country. 
  • Change in Geopolitical Balance: The Bangladesh War victory furthered India’s role as the dominant power in South Asia. It shifted the balance of power towards India.
  • Morale Booster: The victory of Indian forces acted as a morale booster for the country’s establishment after the loss in the Sino-Indian War of 1962.

Conclusion:

Vijay Diwas honours military personnel and civilians who sacrificed their life for India’s victory and also uphold the rights of human lives in East Pakistan during the war.

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Vijay Diwas FAQs

Vijay Diwas is celebrated across India on December 16 to commemorate India’s victory in the Bangladesh Liberation War.

Vijay Diwas marks India's victory against Pakistan in the 1971 war when 93000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered in Dhaka.

The Bangladesh Liberation War was a civilian revolution and armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Bengali nationalist and self-determination movement in East Pakistan.

Mukti Bahini was a guerrilla resistance movement consisting of the Bangladesh military, paramilitary, and civilians, constituted during the Bangladesh Liberation War.

The surrender took place at the Ramna Race Course in Dhaka on 16 December 1971 wherein 93,000 Pakistani troops laid down their weapons and surrendered to the Allied Forces led by India.

Pakistani officer AAK Niazi signed the instrument of surrender. He symbolically surrendered by handing over his revolver to Lt Gen Arora.

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