Vijay Diwas 2024: A Time for India to Reflect

Fifty-three years ago, India’s resounding victory over Pakistan in the 1971 Liberation War brought about the birth of Bangladesh. This year, however, “Vijay Diwas” on 16 December will be commemorated with a sense of poignancy and regret. While India fought alongside the Mukti Bahini to liberate Bangladesh from the brutal Pakistani regime, a parallel tragedy presently unfolds in the very nation we helped create. The Pakistani military’s “Operation Searchlight” in 1971 led to the horrific genocide of three million innocent Bengalis—a genocide largely ignored by Western democracies, who hypocritically preached liberty and freedom while tacitly supporting a dictatorial regime. Today, a new wave of religious persecution is sweeping across Bangladesh, inspired by Islamist forces.

Radicalised Muslims, emboldened by a climate of intolerance, are targeting the Hindu minority. Hindu women are being subjected to horrific violence, and their homes and places of worship are being desecrated. Government employees are being forced to resign, and community leaders like Chinmoy Krishna Das are being falsely accused and imprisoned. These actions are a stark reminder of the dark days of the past and a chilling portent of the future.

The Yunus administration, which has come to power after overthrowing the legally elected Sheikh Hasina government, stands complicit in their inaction in preventing these cowardly attacks on the minority Hindu community.

The nine months following the launch of “Operation Searchlight” in 1971 were a period of unimaginable horror. Over 300,000 women were raped, and approximately 10 million people were forced to seek refuge in India. Fueling this genocidal campaign was the radical Islamist organisation Jammat-e-Islami, which, alongside the Pakistani Army and the Razakars—a paramilitary force in East Pakistan organised by General Tikka Khan—committed heinous war crimes against the people of Bangladesh.

India’s intervention in 1971 was a decisive moment in history. Indian Armed Forces, in a swift and decisive campaign, defeated the Pakistan army and forced it to accept an unconditional surrender on 16 December 1971—a day celebrated in India as “Vijay Diwas”.

However, as we commemorate the 54th anniversary of the Liberation of Bangladesh, a poignant question arises: What have we achieved? The sacrifices made by Indian soldiers and the Indian nation were immense: 3,843 Indian soldiers laid down their lives, and 9,851 were wounded fighting for the cause of freedom. Seeing how radicalisation has taken root in Bangladesh, was the sacrifice made by Indian soldiers and the Indian nation in 1971 in vain? These questions are no longer rhetorical. They arise from the fact that the radical Islamist forces, which were defeated in 1971, have again risen and are ruling the roost in Bangladesh.

When Pakistan was carved from India to create a Muslim state, it was geographically fragmented, with its two wings separated by a vast expanse of Indian territory. This disparate landmass housed diverse ethnic and linguistic groups, including Bengalis, Punjabis, Sindhis, Baloch, Pashtuns, and others. Lacking a shared cultural or civilisational bond, the nation sought to forge a unified identity based on Islam. However, this pursuit of Islamic unity often overshadowed regional identities and aspirations. The Urdu-speaking elite, who had migrated from India, exerted significant influence over the national narrative, marginalising indigenous intellectuals and activists. This dominance led to a neglect of regional concerns and a suppression of diverse perspectives, ultimately contributing to the nation’s internal divisions.

The majority of Bengalis, however, staunchly resisted attempts to suppress their cultural and linguistic identity, leading to a nationalist struggle for self-determination. The 1971 victory marked a triumph for these nationalist forces over those who sought to establish an Islamic state. The Nationalists, facing the formidable might of the Pakistani army, were further challenged by the collaboration of the Jamaat-e-Islami and the Razakars, who actively participated in the brutalisation of the Bengali people. While some Bengalis tragically betrayed their own people, the ultimate victory of the nationalists was secured with the crucial support of the Indian Armed Forces.

Despite the liberation, the anti-liberation Jamaat-e-Islami continued to exert political influence through alliances with major parties like the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. This allowed the persecution of the Hindu minority, which had begun during the partition of India, to persist. While the Awami League’s rule saw a relative decline in such atrocities, the Yunus administration has witnessed a resurgence of violence against the Hindu community, mirroring the brutality of the Pakistani Army’s Operation Searchlight.

The installation of Muhammad Yunus as the interim head of government of Bangladesh in August this year raises significant concerns as it was done under the aegis of the US administration. From the statements made by Mr Yunus during his recent visit to the USA, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the regime-change operation in Bangladesh was planned and executed with US patronage. The regime change enabled Yunus to take power in Bangladesh. For the US, a pliant Yunus administration serves US interests in the wider Bay of Bengal region. As seen in 1971 too, the US is not averse to using Islamic militant organisations or military dictatorships as leverage against India. India’s thrust towards strategic autonomy is anathema to the US and the West, and the support now being extended to the Yunus administration is perhaps a signal to India to be sensitive to US concerns in the region. India is unlikely to kowtow to US pressure, so the situation in Bangladesh will remain a challenge for India. As India grows in stature, such challenges will increase in frequency and intensity. That is the nature of the game being played at the high table. As India’s external affairs minister, Shri S Jaishankar, stated recently: “We’re a player the world turns to, even if we’re bashful at times.”

The bottom line, however, is that, for now, the Islamic forces in Bangladesh have won a spectacular victory over the nationalist forces. That is not good news for Bangladesh or the region. As they did in 1971, the people of Bangladesh must fight such forces in their self-interest. India will, once again, help the people of Bangladesh if requested.