By Admin 
Indian Army’s Western Command Chief Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar has described the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 as not just a military conflict but a war born of moral responsibility. According to him, that was the time when India was left with no option but to intervene.
Speaking to a private TV channel, he said, “The atrocities being committed by the Pakistani Army in East Pakistan were not the violence of a normal war, but an organized genocide.” Comparing this violence to the Holocaust, he said that the whole world was turning a blind eye at that time.
Could India remain a mute spectator?
Lieutenant General Katiyar said, “If India had remained silent at that time, it would have been not only a diplomatic failure but also a moral degradation.” He said in an emotional tone that when thousands of Bangladeshi women were being made victims of inhuman torture by Pakistani soldiers, then India had a moral duty to intervene. According to him, remaining silent in the face of injustice is also a form of injustice.
Kashmir war of 1948
Recalling the Indo-Pak war of 1948, he said that Pakistani soldiers had entered Kashmir disguised as tribal robbers. During that time, incidents of atrocities, murder and looting of civilians took place, which cannot be acceptable in any civilized society. On the contrary, the Indian Army considered it its responsibility to protect the citizens of Kashmir and despite limited resources, followed human values.
1971 when the crusade was at its peak
According to Lieutenant General Katiyar, the 1971 war is the clearest example of a crusade in Indian history. At that time thousands of innocent people were being killed in East Pakistan and the international community was almost silent. He said that if a society remains silent in the face of evil and crime, its soul has to pay the price. India refused to pay that price and changed the course of history.
93 thousand prisoners of war and India’s generosity
After the 1971 war, 93,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered, which was the world’s largest military surrender after World War II. Lieutenant General Katiyar said that India completely followed international laws with these prisoners of war. They were given medical care and treated humanely. India chose the path of peace rather than revenge through the Shimla Agreement, which he described as one of the most generous peace agreements in the world.
Warning on Bangladesh-Pakistan proximity
Commenting on the growing relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan, he said that Bangladesh is currently going through a critical phase. Although he expressed confidence in the Bangladesh Army, he also warned that countries that do not learn lessons from history repeat the same mistakes again and again.
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