New Delhi. External Affairs Minister S. On the 50th anniversary of India’s victory over Pakistan, Jaishankar said on Thursday that the 1971 operation ‘Searchlight’ by the Pakistani Army was one of the most horrific examples of mass atrocities and brutal killings in recent history. Jaishankar was speaking at an event organized by the paramilitary force to commemorate this Vijay Diwas and to honor the role of Border Security Force (BSF) personnel.
In his keynote address, the External Affairs Minister said that the Border Security Force played an important role in the liberation of Bangladesh and the country salutes the officers and people whose determination and valor created history in 1971. Bangladesh was born out of this victory of the Indian Army with the BSF.
On Dec 6, India & Bangladesh jointly celebrated ‘Maitri Diwas’ worldwide, the day when India recognized Bangladesh as an independent country in 1971. BSF has done the task of maintaining peace at the Indo-Bangladesh border: Dr. S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs pic.twitter.com/nifUJftOkT
– ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2021
The Union Minister said, “Operation Searchlight is indeed one of the most horrific examples of mass atrocities and brutal killings in recent history. But the people of Bangladesh stood up against this brutal attack under the heroic leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
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Jaishankar said there was spontaneous support in India for the people and freedom fighters of the eastern neighbor and “our political, diplomatic and military efforts in support of the people of Bangladesh to uphold democratic rights are now well recognized.”
He said the BSF, which guards the over 4,000-km-long India-Bangladesh border, was a “major stakeholder” in the India-Bangladesh friendship. He said the force formed in 1965 was still in its infancy at the time of 1971 war. “None of us can ever forget the genocide campaign launched by the Pakistani Army against the people of Bangladesh in March 1971,” he said. (agency)