New Delhi, Dec. 3 (ANI): Today we are observing the commencement of the India-Pakistan war of 1971, which was brewing for many months.
The spark that lit the war originated on March 26, 1971, when Pakistani military ruler General Yahya Khan decided not to implement the results of the national elections held in the country in 1970, which gave a majority to the Awami League headed by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Awami League won 160 of the 162 seats in East Pakistan, while Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto of the Pakistan Peoples Party won 81 of the 138 seats in West Pakistan.
Bhutto refused to share power with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. General Yahya Khan sent Lt Gen Tikka Khan to 'control' the situation in the eastern wing. In the crackdown, several thousands of East Pakistanis were slaughtered. Mujibur Rahman was arrested on March 26 and flown to Karachi.
I was then serving as the Public Relations Officer of the Army, which was then headed by General S.H. F. J Manekshaw. On March 26, the Army Chief was in Pune on a visit. One of his engagements was to open a swimming pool at the newly set up Armed Forces Medical College. As we were waiting, we were told that the Army Chief would be there for a short while and all of us were to move with him to Delhi.
In the aircraft, we came to know of the crackdown in East Pakistan, and also that there was a possibility of Indian reaction.
Refugees started pouring into India. From a trickle in the beginning, it soared soon.
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According to estimates, over 50,000 east Pakistanis were killed in the crackdown. Called 'Operation Searchlight', it was headed by Lt Gen Tikka Khan.
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India could not remain a silent spectator. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi extended full support to the Awami League and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. We understood that the Prime Minister wanted the Army to be ready for any eventuality.
General Manekshaw advised Prime Minister Indira Gandhi not to intervene immediately as there was a possibility that India may have to fight on three fronts -- in the west, the east and the north. The northern passes were clear during the summer. In addition, there would be rains in a couple of months making West Bengal and eastern India difficult for any military movements. General Manekshaw's advice was to defer operations till the onset of winter, when the northern passes close due to heavy snow.
In the next few months, the efforts in the Ministry of Defence was to prepare for the ensuring operations. India also had to look after over 10 million refugees from East Pakistan. They had to be looked after in special camps set up in West Bengal, Bihar Orissa, Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura.
In Delhi, I used to hear of a series of meetings in the Prime Minister's Office, headed by her Principal Secretary P.N. Haksar, Advisor D.P. Dhar and many others. I also used to attend the briefings on the situation in the office of the spokesman of the Foreign Ministry S. K. Singh. The Director of Public Relations in the Ministry, Col Victor Longer, had moved over to the Research and Analysis Wing and occasionally I used to see the head of RAW R.N. Kao in the office of the Army Chief clad in white.
I also used to be in regular touch with the Director of Military Operations, headed by Major General Inder Gill.
In the summer, one of my duties was to accompany the Chief of Army Staff when he visited different formations to ensure their preparedness. At almost all units, Sam Manekshaw used to tell the soldiers: "The country has looked after us well. We have been fed well, paid well and our families have been looked after. Why? To defend the country, fight a war and defeat the enemy. You will now have an opportunity. We have to be true to our salt. We will not let down our country." Sam Manekshaw would get a thunderous response.
While the Army Chief's task was to get the defence apparatus ready, Defence Minister Jagjivan Ram went round the states along the border with Pakistan to brief the state governments and mobilizing the people. He would speak of 'demographic aggression' -- a phrase coined by me -- committed by Pakistan.
All through, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was kept informed of the developments. She paid visits abroad to obtain international support. To gain strategic support in case of hostilities, India concluded on August 9, 1971, the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation with the Soviet Union. While the United States Government headed by President Nixon with Secretary of State Henry Kissinger were on the side of Pakistan, the Chinese, in public, took the position that what was happening in East Pakistan was its internal affair.
During the period, India provided access to the foreign press to report what was happening in East Pakistan and took them to the refugee camps. We received active support from Prem Prakash, who then headed the Visnews (now the Chairman of ANI) and covered events in East Pakistan, which was accessed by world agencies. We also provided access to foreign correspondents to border posts and to the refugee camps to make the world aware of the atrocities committed by Pakistan.
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi went on a tour of the United States and other countries in early autumn. The response she received indicated that they would not be able to persuade Pakistan to 'solve' the problem by coming to an agreement with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Meanwhile, a provisional Government of Bangladesh was set up and a liberation force named 'Mukti Bahini' was formed in East Pakistan.
In the Directorate of Public Relations, we had the task of finalizing the 'operational publicity guidelines' and drawing up details for the setting up of Press Camps near the theatre of possible operations. Option was given to agencies and newspapers to nominate 'war correspondents' to have better access to information in case a war breaks out.
I was also given the task by the Chief of Army Staff to clear the photographs and visual materials gathered both by Indian as well as foreign correspondents to tell the world what was happening in East Pakistan.
On the afternoon of December 3, Pakistan Air Force attacked our airfields in the western sector including those at Jalandhar and Pathankot. The Government of India held a briefing to announce the commencement of operations at Shastri Bhavan at which I was present. The media wanted 'proof' of Pakistani attack. I received instructions to take a Press Party consisting of national and international media to the airfields in Jalandhar and Pathankot, to show them the results of the attack, before they were repaired. I returned home immediately, packed my bag and returned to Shastri Bhavan to take two busloads of Indian and foreign correspondents to the bombed airfields.
It was an eventful day, which saw the beginning of the India-Pakistan war, known as the war of the century.
Mr. I. Ramamohan Rao is a former Principle Information Officer to the Government of India. He can be reached at raoramamohanrao@hotmail.com.