PM Modi's Vijay Diwas post, with no mention of Bangladesh, rattles Yunus govt

Political leaders in Bangladesh, including those from Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, reacted strongly to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message on Vijay Diwas or victory day, claiming that the victory of 1971 belonged to Bangladesh and India was “nothing more” than an ally in the struggle.

PM Modi, on Monday, took to his social media account, saying: “Today, on Vijay Diwas, we honour the courage and sacrifices of the brave soldiers who contributed to India’s historic victory in 1971. Their selfless dedication and unwavering resolve safeguarded our nation and brought glory to us. This day is a tribute to their extraordinary valour and their unshakable spirit. Their sacrifices will forever inspire generations and remain deeply embedded in our nation’s history.”

India celebrated Vijay Diwas on Monday, December 16, to mark the historic victory of 1971, when the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy united to launch a decisive offensive against East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), standing against the rule of West Pakistan.

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Observed annually on December 16, Vijay Diwas honours India’s triumph in the 1971 War, which led to the liberation of East Pakistan from West Pakistan’s control and the creation of the independent nation of Bangladesh.

On December 16, 1971, then Pakistani forces commander, Lieutenant General AA Khan Niazi, surrendered in front of Indian commander Jagjit Singh Aurora and signed the ‘surrender instrument’. The surrender, along with 93,000 Pakistani forces, brought an end to East Pakistan’s years-long agitation against the cruel regime of West Pakistan.

Though there was no mention of Bangladesh or even Pakistan in PM Modi’s Vijay Diwas post, but the political leaders from the neighbouring country had come all guns blazing to react against it.

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Bangladesh reacts

Moments after Modi’s message, Bangladesh’s interim government’s law adviser Asif Nazrul said he “strongly condemned” the post by the Indian PM on his country’s victory day.

Attaching screenshot of PM Modi’s Facebook post, Asif Nazrul wrote, “I strongly condemn it. 16 December, 1971 was Victory Day for Bangladesh. India was just our ally, nothing else.”

‘Bangladesh must continue its fight against this threat from India’

A key organiser of Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Hasnat Abdullah, who had earlier called for banning banning Iskcon and called for the hanging of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, also criticised PM Modi’s Bangladesh ‘Bijoy Dibosh’ post .

“This was Bangladesh’s Liberation War. That war was for Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan. But Modi claimed the war to be only of India and their achievement. The existence of Bangladesh is defied in their speeches,” Abdullah wrote on his Facebook post.

“When India claims this independence as their own victory, I see it as a direct threat to the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Bangladesh,” Abdullah further stated.

He continued and even went on to say, “It is inevitable that we must continue our struggle against this threat from India. Our fight must go on.”

‘Misleading statement’

Ishraque Hossain, a member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) Foreign Relations Committee, called PM Modi’s post “misleading”.

“I strongly condemn and protest against Narendra Modi’s misleading statement on 16th December, Bangladesh’s Victory Day. Modi’s words clearly undermine our liberation war, our sovereignty, our martyrs and our dignity. Such moves will not be helpful for bilateral relations between Bangladesh and India,” Hossain said in a post on X.

With inputs from agencies.