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A hero looks back on Vijay Diwas

One of the most glorious moments for independent India was on December 16, 1971 at 16.51 hours, when Lieutenant General A A K Niazi, General Officer in Commanding-in-Chief, East Pakistan, and his 91,000 strong Pakistan Army corps surrendered to Lt Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora, GOC-in-C Eastern Command of the Indian Army.

A grateful nation celebrates that defining moment as vijay diwas (victory day) on December 16. Lt Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora, who lead the eastern command to that spectacular victory over Pakistan, vividly recalled every moment in an exclusive interview to Asia Defence News International.

''I was tasked to complete the operation (the liberation of Bangladesh) as early as possible before international intervention. Keeping in view the terrain and enemy disposition we adopted a totally unconventional approach. We bypassed the enemy's well fortified positions and dashed towards Dhaka," the general revealed.

''Our strategy worked. We avoided frontal attacks on the enemy guarding the river lines and crossed up or down stream in unheld areas and appeared in the rear of the enemy, thereby turning his flanks and taking him by complete surprise,'' he explained.

Recounting the major contributory factors in this unprecedented victory, the general attributed the success to the superior combat power of the Indian troops, their initiative and the fact that time was on his side. ''There was enough time to plan, prepare and deploy our forces,'' he felt.

''We had sufficient time to get people on our side,'' Aurora continued, ''the local people gave us accurate and real-time information and guided us accurately on to our objectives. The Mukti Bahini proved to be a big force multiplier.''

Being the good soldier that he is, the general gave due credit to his opponents and said, ''They prepared well, particularly alternative positions within the main defences. Some of them were hard nuts to crack. We outmanoeuvred them and advanced to Dhaka at the fastest possible speed.''

Commenting on his adversary, the general stated ''Niazi did not even think of defending Dhaka. He had no imagination and felt let down.'' Pointing to the major handicap of the Pakistan Army, Aurora said, ''their army was isolated from the local people. The people were deeply hurt and alienated because the Pakistan Army looted, raped and forcibly married the local women and wanted to take them to West Pakistan. As such they felt insecure in their own country. No army can fight under these conditions.''

The victorious army commander was full of praise for his men and officers. He particularly commended their initiative and improvisation while launching the first amphibious operation across the mighty Meghna river. ''There was hardly any bridging resources and we had only one squadron of helicopter. Yet the boys did it,'' recalled the general.

General Aurora remembered with nostalgia his younger days when he was commissioned on January 1, 1939 into 5 battalion of 2 Punjab Regiment. At the staff college, Quetta, he had Gen Yahya Khan, the future president of Pakistan, as his colleague. He remembered Gen Yahya Khan as a ''fun-loving soldier who took the stupid decision of attacking India.''

When asked to define the most glorious moment of the war, the the general looked up at the legendary photograph of the surrender hung on the wall -- the young Aurora looking on as Gen Niazi signed the document of surrender -- and said, ''of course, that was the most glorious moment, but let us not make much out of it, after all it was only a part of Pakistan, that too not a viable part.''

Admiring the post-war conduct of the Indian Army the general said, ''nowhere in history did an army go in and come out without taking any advantage.'' On the contrary, the general said, ''we helped them in the reconstruction of their roads and bridges.''

Gen Aurora, now 84, and leading a peaceful life, finally said, ''the politics of the sub-continent notwithstanding, the people of Bangladesh are eternally grateful to the Indian Army for its role and contribution in their struggle for freedom.'' He felt the warmth of their feeling when he visited Dhaka recently where he was given a warm and affectionate welcome.

UNI

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