Rajnath lauds jawans on Vijay Divas

BJP president Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said that we must always remember the sacrifices made by our soldiers. Going down the memory lane on the occasion of Vijay Divas, Singh recalled the sacrifices made by the country’s brave soldiers. “India won a glorious victory against Pakistan in the 1971 war. It was the first Indian decisive victory in a major war as a new nation; Bangladesh was created in just 14 days “said the BJP president. He was speaking as the chief guest at the “Vijay Divas Sammelan” organised by Bhartiya Aatankvad Virodhi Sangathan at Gandhi Peace Foundation in the Capital. This event was organised to mark the 38th anniversary of the Indo-Pak war.

Slamming Pakistan for failing to check terror groups operating from its soil against India, the BJP president demanded organisations like ISI be put under “international vigil” and US Government be asked to stop extending financial aid to it as it was being misused. “India should exhibit its diplomatic skills and create pressure at the international level to put ISI under international watch,” Singh said, adding, the Government there, the ISI and the terror groups are all linked to each other.

“In 2004, the NDA Government created diplomatic pressure on Pakistan which led the then Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to commit that at no cost will he allow terror groups to operate from Pakistan soil. But he failed to live up to his promise,” Singh said. He said the UPA Government should exhibit similar efforts at the diplomatic level and prevail upon the US to stop extending financial support to Pakistan, which is being misused. “If India considers USA as a strategic partner after the Indo-US nuclear deal, then it should ask USA to stop extending financial assistance to Pakistan which is being used for funding terror activities,” he said.

Gen (retd.) SK Sinha, former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir was among the other eminent personalities present at the function. He reiterated the famous quote by former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, “Press is the oxygen for journalist”,” Press should report such sensitive issues related to terrorism with immense responsibility” said Sinha. He ended his speech by saying “Is this a vote bank policy as no Government programme has been held today in the honour of our great martyrs of 1971 war.”

It might be noted that on the December 3, 1971 the Pakistani air force struck a number of Indian airfields in northern India. By midnight, India was officially at war with Pakistan. Two weeks later the war was over. The Indian army had overrun erstwhile East Pakistan (Bangladesh) and take in 93,000 prisoners of war. It was one of the swiftest military campaigns in recent history.