Mohammad Jamil
Indeed, 16th December 1971 was the darkest day in the history of Pakistan, when it was dismembered as a result of international intrigue. Later, the evidence suggested that India had implemented its insidious plan by propaganda about exaggerated figures about killings of Bengalis in military operations, and training of Mukti Bahini guerillas in Indian army camps that later moved along with Indian army units in the then East Pakistan. In fact, many Indian leaders had admitted rather confessed India’s role in, what they said, struggle for independence of the people of the then East Pakistan. In June 2015, Bangladesh conferred the “liberation war” award on former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for his “active role” in its independence struggle and consolidating friendship with India. This shows ignominious role of ‘preacher of peace’, who had written poetry that under no circumstances there would be war between the two countries.”
Speaking on the occasion of award giving ceremony, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said though he had entered politics quite late, he had been one of the many youth activists who had come to Delhi in response to Vajpayee’s call for satyagraha for the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971. He described himself as one of the crores of people who wanted this vision to be realised. In fact, India had launched propaganda campaign that hundreds of thousands of Bengalis were killed during operation by Pakistan military, which was travesty of the truth. Sarmila Bose, a noted British academic and senior research associate at the Centre for International Studies at Oxford University, in her book ‘Dead Reckoning: Memories of 1971 Bangladesh War’ attempted to quantify the deaths in the Civil War by interviewing the participants on both or, rather all sides, and had exposed the blatant lies of Indian government.
According to her detailed account, she had moved back and forth between Pakistan and Bangladesh, seeing mainly retired Pakistani officers in the west, and survivors of killings and their relatives in the east, as well as members of the non-Bengali and non-Muslim minorities. She seemed to be the first one who took pains to find the truth. Yet, when she underlined how stretched the Pakistani forces were, and how perplexed they were in the face of a Bengali hostility, she simply narrated the truth. Her investigations revealed the death toll between fifty thousand to one hundred thousand including Bengalis and non-Bengalis. Of course, flawed foreign policy, wrong decisions made over a period of two decades and lack of socio-economic justice had resulted in contradictions between the people of the federating units that became irreconcilable over time. India had taken full advantage of the disharmony and contradictions that existed.
In fact, contradictions existed in many developing countries, but were resolved through dialogue, but India’s propaganda about exaggerated figures of deaths of Bengalis had stoked the passions and stirred the emotions to take revenge of partition of India. It was unfortunate that the UN and the big powers acted as silent spectators when an independent country with recognized international boundaries was being dismembered, and they virtually did nothing to stop India from direct intervention because they were infatuated with India’s large population and big a market. After the break-up of Pakistan, then prime minister Indira Gandhi had declared that two-nation had been sunk in the Bay of Bengal. But eidetic reality was that Bangladesh became an independent country with Muslim identity, and refused to accept Indian hegemony. Of course, Sheikh Hasina has shown complete obedience towards Indian masters, be it humiliating Pakistan or even forgoing Bangladesh’s rights.
First prime of minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujib-ur-Rehman was in league with India in breakup of Pakistan, and today his daughter Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government remained pliant in return for Indian support to her shaky government. With the pressure from patriotic Bangladeshis, Sheikh Hasina expressed grave concern in a letter to India saying “any diversion of the waters of the Himalayan Rivers would go against India’s commitments to Bangladesh.” India had unilaterally decided to build a Tipaimukh dam on Barak River with huge reservoir on that site, whereby BD stands to lose. Dhaka also requested New Delhi not to implement any project to interlink rivers as it would harm Bangladesh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had reminded Bangladeshis during his visit to Bangladesh that India had helped them to get independence in 1972, so that they remain grateful to India.
In his address to the nation on independence day the 15th August 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “The way people of Balochistan, Gilgit and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir have thanked me for raising voice for their suppressed rights, I want to offer my gratitude to these people.” Huge rallies and protest demonstrations were held in different parts of Balochistan, condemning Indian intervention in Balochistan and other parts of Pakistan. Syed Ali Gilani Chairman All Parties Hurriyat Conference led the freedom procession moving towards Dargah in Kashmir capital, which was stopped at Naseem Bagh. Protest rallies against occupation and repression were held in every part of Kashmir. Occupied forces had used teargas and pellets on protestors. Clashes had erupted in Prichoo Pulwama between protesters and occupational forces after Friday prayers. However, Brahamdagh Bugti is blue-eyed boy of India, as was Sheikh Mujeeb in the then East Pakistan.
In the past, there have been wars between the countries over religions, usurpation of territories and control of resources including oil. But in view of acute shortages of water in Africa, Middle East, Asia and elsewhere, the future wars could be fought over water. In addition to Kashmir dispute, the Indus River Basin has been an area of conflict between India and Pakistan for about five decades. Spanning 1,800 miles, the river and its tributaries together make up one of the largest irrigation canals in the world. Narendra Modi recently threatened to make Pakistan desert by not allowing a single drop of water to flow in Ravi, Sutlej and Beas. As regards Pakistani rivers, India is already constructing dams on Chenab and Jhelum. But Pakistan today is an atomic power, and if India tries to implement its nefarious designs and war breaks out, there would be no concept of victor or vanquished.
