“Vijay Divas” is celebrated on 16 December to commemorate India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war. 93,000 Pakistani army surrendered after the end of this war.
India defeated Pakistan in the 1971 war. After which East Pakistan became independent. Which is today known as Bangladesh.
In 1971 there was a military conflict between India and Pakistan. This war started on 3 December 1971 due to the freedom struggle of East Pakistan.
This war lasted until 14 December 1971. This war was the shortest war lasting 13 days. The Pakistani army surrendered on 16 December 1971.
This war started in 1971. On 25 March 1971 , the military dictator of Pakistan, Yahia Khan, ordered the people of East Pakistan to be crushed with military force. After this, Sheikh Mujib was arrested. When India began reporting abuse of the Pakistani army, then began falling pressure on India to to intervene by force there.
The Prime Minister of India at that time was Indira Gandhi. She wanted Pakistan to be invaded in April. Indira Gandhi consulted General Manekshaw, the Army Chief in this regard. Manekshaw categorically denied Indira Gandhi and said that he wanted to enter the battlefield with full preparation.
At that time India had only one mountain division and this division did not have the ability to build bridges. The monsoon was about to begin at that time and entering East Pakistan at such a time could become a problem.
After this, on 3 December 1971, Indira Gandhi was addressing a public meeting in Calcutta, at the same time, Pakistan Air Force planes crossed the Indian air range and started dropping bombs at military airports like Pathankot, Srinagar, Amritsar, Jodhpur, Agra etc. .
Indira Gandhi returned to Delhi at the same time to hold an emergency cabinet meeting. And after that the war started. The Indian Army advanced rapidly to the east and captured Jessore and Khulna.
On 14 December, the Indian Army received a secret message that an important meeting was going to be held at the Government House in Dhaka, in which senior officials of Pakistani administration such as Governor Malik, Niazi were to participate. The Indian Army decided and during the meeting itself, MiG-21 aircraft blew up the roof of the main hall by dropping bombs on the building.
On the morning of 16 December, General Jacob, a former Indian military officer, Lieutenant General, received a message from Manekshaw. In which it was written that immediately reach Dhaka to prepare for surrender. At that time Niazi had 26400 soldiers in Dhaka, while India had only 3000 soldiers.
There was silence when General Jacob entered the room of Pakistani Lieutenant General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi. The document of surrender was placed on the table. Governor Malik wrote his resignation with almost trembling hands.
Eastern military commander Lt Gen Jagjit Singh Arora and Niazi sat in front of a table and both signed documents of surrender. Niazi surrendered his revolver to General Arora with moist eyes. The locals were involved in the murder of Niazi. Senior officers of the Indian Army made a safe circle around Niazi and later Niazi was ejected.
Indira Gandhi was giving a TV interview in Parliament House. Then General Manek Shaw informed him of the spectacular victory in Bangladesh. Indira Gandhi announced in the Lok Sabha amidst the noise that India had won the war. After Indira Gandhi’s statement, the entire house was immersed in celebration. Since then, this day has been celebrated as Vijay Divas.
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