Gen Bipin Rawat's pre-recorded message urges all to join hands to celebrate and the Vijay Parv.
New Delhi: This is how human destiny turns out to be. Gen Bipin Rawat's pre-recorded message on the occasion of Swarnim Vijay Parv, 50 years of India's win against Pakistan during the Liberation War of Bangladesh, was released on Sunday (December 12).
In the message, the country's first Chief of Defence Staff says: "Senao pein hae hamey garv… (We are proud of our valiant soldiers)." The pre-recorded message urges all to join hands to celebrate the Vijay Parv.
The Indo-Pakistan War of 1971, coinciding with the Bangladesh Liberation War, commenced on December 3, 1971, and continued till December 16. After India achieved an upper hand, the Eastern Command of the Pakistan military signed the Instrument of Surrender on December 16, 1971, in Dhaka, marking the formation of the new nation, Bangladesh. Lt Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora attended the signing ceremony and Gen A.A.K on behalf of Pakistan. Niazi surrendered to Lt Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora (GOC-in-C) of the Eastern Command and the Bengali Liberation Forces.
Notably, in 1999, Niazi authored the book 'Betrayal of East Pakistan', in which he claimed to provide his "own true version" of the events of 1971. Niazi expired on February 1, 2004, in Lahore.
Meanwhile, Gen Rawat's 1.09 minutes message pays tribute to the 1971 war heroes. He also said that from December 12 to 14, various programmes are being organised at India Gate to celebrate the occasion.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in a speech on Sunday at the inaugural ceremony of 'Swarnim Vijay Parv', said, "The 1971 War was one of the defining battles of the world.
This War proves that the partition of India "on the basis of religion was a historical blunder." Rajnath Singh said, "While it is true that Pakistan was born based on religious differences, but it could not stay united."
This was regarding the emergence of Bangladesh. "After 1971, Pakistan is continuously indulging in a proxy war against India," the Defence Minister said.
