Former Indian Army Chief General VK Singh (retd) was involved in the India-Pakistan war fought in 1971. He had reached Raipur to participate in a marathon event. On the same day of 16th December, in the war of 1971, India defeated Pakistan and defeated Bangladesh.
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Question: Sir, what was the most horrific scene of the 1971 war that you saw? answer- There were many things, not many things were written or told about the massacre that took place there. The way people were killed, the atrocities committed on women, you probably won’t find anywhere else. People don’t talk about him. At that time, China and America were also against India. Their fleet had come to the Bay of Bengal to stop the fighting quickly so that today’s Bangladesh would not be freed from Pakistan’s occupation, but before they could do anything, we created Bangladesh.
The picture is of 1971 war when General Singh was the Intelligence Officer there.
I remember when we reached Chittagong, I took my contingent to the Medical College. The Pakistan Army had set up a race improvement camp there to improve the breed. Here he used to capture women and release them and used to rape them by releasing his soldiers on them. At that time there were approximately 350, 400 women, they were lying semi-nude, they were pregnant, with whom all these acts were committed. Pakistan Army was doing all this.
Question- What was your reaction when you saw that situation?
answer- All those people wanted to kill themselves, they were controlled with great difficulty and it is not known how many people might have committed suicide later. We tried somehow to send them to their homes, but no one was ready to live.
Question- You were a part of the process of formation of Bangladesh, what do you think after seeing the overall situation?
answer- In 1971 we went to save them. We went to uplift the people from their suffering, within 13 days we made the country, gave them the reins and left the place within a month. Gave them their country, that country is now theirs, they can do whatever they want. You will not find this example anywhere in the history of the world. Now when we look at Bangladesh today, we wonder that after so much that is happening in Bangladesh today, do you not feel even a little bit disgusted with yourself?
Question- There is a big discussion that there is a crisis on Hindus in Bangladesh, should India interfere in it?
answer- It is such that the first thing we should accept is that the Hindu is not helpless, the Hindu is tolerant. I hope that our Hindu brothers and sisters who are there will take a firm decision that no one should evict them from what is their home, what is their land, what is their area.
VK Singh was the 26th Chief of the Army.
Question: Sir, if you have any encounter with the Pakistani Army, can you tell?
answer- Every soldier fights for his country. We do not fall down like the Pakistani Army. You see in Kargil how they treated our people who were captured. This is not the case with us. Here we follow the rules of humanity and the United Nations. That day was 6 December 1971, we had surrounded a contingent of Pakistani Army.
We made them surrender, their captain was there. He said that we have not eaten food for three days. I laughed and said that I too had not eaten food for 3 days. We were running ahead of you to catch you. He started looking at my face and I said that I did not get anything to eat, then he said that I did not get anything. We used to carry sweet and salty sugar paraphernalia with us for emergencies. I took out the sugar candy from me and gave it to the Pakistani captain. He kept looking at my mouth, after a while I said, “Haven’t you eaten?” He then started looking at me. I said, “Do you think there will be poison in it?” I will eat. It is that we do not have the same feelings towards the soldiers, we are angry towards the country and the misdeeds they commit.
General Singh during training.
Question- Sir, there is Agniveer Scheme, there is a new discussion that Indian Army is not getting Gorkhas because of this?
answer- Agniveer scheme was run with some purpose. The Chief who was there at that time (General Naravane) kept it as a tour of duty. The youth who came to us from Agniveer Scheme are very good, so first of all understand this. Some amendments are required inside the scheme. Whenever anything new comes, it is rectified after seeing it and I think that the shortcomings found in it will be removed. Now is the time to set things right. I have full confidence that it will be improved based on the feedback we are getting from people.
VK Singh was the first Army Chief who had taken commando training.
Know about retired General VK Singh
General VK Singh became the first Army Chief who has taken commando training. General Singh Azad was the 26th Chief of Army Staff of India. Born in Bhiwani district of Haryana, VK Singh comes from the third generation of his family, which has brought glory to the army. The general’s father was a colonel in the army and grandfather a junior commissioned officer. Received medals like General Vijay Kumar Singh, PVSM, AVSM, YSM. Received Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Yudh Seva Medal for his distinguished service during Operation Pawan.
Facts related to Bangladesh war The 1971 war between India and Pakistan started as the Bangladesh Liberation War. After the partition of India and Pakistan, Pakistan was divided into eastern and western parts. The central government sitting in the west was running the eastern part (today’s Bangladesh) in its own way. Linguistic and cultural restrictions were imposed on them. Due to this, protests started taking place in East Pakistan. To stop them, the government ordered the army to suppress them.
Claim of rape of two lakh women
During this time, big leaders of East Pakistani Awami League like Sheikh Mujibur Rahman etc. were arrested. According to the information, about two lakh women were raped by the Pakistani Army. About 20 to 30 lakh people were killed. About 80 to 10 million people fled and took refuge in India.
shortest war
After 13 days of war, they surrendered to the Pakistani Army on 16 December. The Indian Army had captured about 90 thousand Pakistani soldiers. It is also seen as the shortest war.