DEFENCE Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday touched the feet of Dhanno Devi, the wife of Col Hoshiar Singh who was conferred with India’s highest military honour, the Param Vir Chakra, for displaying exemplary courage and indomitable fighting spirit in the 1971 war with Pakistan. Devi was part of a group comprising Indian veterans of the war, their family members and ‘Mukti Jodhas’ of Bangladesh with whom Singh held an interaction. The interaction was organised as part of celebrations of the 50th anniversary of India’s victory in the war that led to the birth of Bangladesh. “Had a warm interaction with the Bangladeshi Muktijoddhas and the Indian war veterans who fought against injustice in the 1971 war.

 

The Indian Armed Forces worked together with the courageous Muktijoddhas in their valiant struggle,” Singh tweeted. In his address, Singh paid rich tributes to the brave soldiers, sailors and air warriors who ensured the victory in the 1971 war by making supreme sacrifice while displaying devotion to duty. He remembered the war heroes including Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, Lt Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora (then General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command), Lt Gen JFR Jacob and Air Marshal Idris Hassan Latif and others. ‘1971 war showed India’s commitment to humanity’ INDIA’S 1971 war with Pakistan that led to the birth of Bangladesh showed New Delhi’s commitment to humanity and the surrender of 93,000 Pakistani soldiers was a “historic surrender” in the history of the world, Rajnath Singh .

 

“This war was a ‘justice war’ due to which a new nation ‘Bangladesh’ was born. This war was a war to show India’s commitment to humanity,” Singh said. “The surrender of 93,000 Pakistani soldiers in 1971 was a historic surrender in the history of the world. India’s victory in the war proved to be one of the most important victory in world history,” he said.