India Pakistan 1971 War | Why it happened? | Bangladesh Liberation | Dhruv Rathee

Hello, friends! On 3rd December 1971, Pakistan launched Operation Chengiz Khan. Pakistani Air Force bombed several Indian airfields.

Amritsar, Pathankot, Jodhpur, Ambala, Agra, Srinagar, 11 airfields were attacked in total. That evening, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi issued a message on the radio, to address the Indian citizens. She said that a war was struck against India.

"I'm speaking during a period of threat, hours ago, on 3rd December, Pakistan initiated an attack on us. " Indian Air Force retaliated and friends, this was the beginning of the 1971 India-Pakistan War. A war that resulted in the birth of a new country.

Bangladesh. "My country, and your country, Bangladesh! Bangladesh!

" But why was this war initiated? Why did Bangladesh want independence from Pakistan? What was India's role in this story?

Come, let's try to understand this, in this video. "India gave the people of Bangladesh their independence. " "This revolution is for our freedom!

" "This revolution is for our independence! " "Pakistan lost half of its country. A new nation was born.

Bangladesh. " Let's start our story before the British Raj. Before the colonial times.

The Indian subcontinent, present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Burma, and Sri Lanka, had thousands of autonomous kingdoms all over the area. Kingdoms ruled by kings and emperors, with their own languages, traditions, and culture. The area of Bengal, if we focus on specifically the Bengal region, that included Bangladesh, West Bengal, and some surrounding areas, this area was ruled by mostly Muslim monarchs since the 13th century.

Mohammad Bakhtiyar Khilji, the founder of the Khilji dynasty, began the Muslim rule in this area, in the early 13th Century. But it's important to know that the rulers here weren't very interested in preaching their religion. They were focused on trying to include the local communities in the system.

During the rule of these Muslim monarchs the high-office holders, traders, musicians, they were from varied religious backgrounds and traditions. Basically, the co-existence between Islam and Hinduism, and the intermingling, was very prevalent in this area. This is why extremism was controlled to a large extent.

Moving forward, in 1757, the East India Company took over this area, as I've explained in detail in this video, after this, the British Rule continued till 1947, and then came the devastating partition. Between India and Pakistan. "As the new dominions of Pakistan and India take over their own affairs, carrying their few possessions, one million people become refugees overnight.

Since 1940, in the All India Muslim League's annual session, the Lahore Resolution was drafted, demanding a separate state for Muslims. They feared that if India continued to be one country, the Muslims would be the minority, and they would need to live in constant fear. Drwing borders on religious lines during the partition meant that, the social, commercial, and cultural relationships among people had to be ignored.

Large states that had common cultures, that spoke the same language, were broken apart in the partition, simply because they wanted to divide people using religion. The two major examples of this are Punjab and Bengal. A part of Punjab went to Pakistan, and a part remained with India.

Same with Bengal. A part in India, and a part with Pakistan. But it didn't mean that their cultures would change.

In the regions that were divided, people continued to speak the same language, follow the same culture and traditions. The Muslims in Bengal who favoured Pakistan, they hoped that having a new Muslim country, would provide them with a better standard of living. Their financial and social conditions would improve.

Many of these people would feel inferior to Hindu landlords. Since they had to work for them. They were expecting their fundamental rights from the Pakistani government.

Obviously, when the partition took place, it displaced many people and families. A large-scale migration took place, wherein many Muslims migrated to Pakistan, and many Hindus came to India from Pakistan. Many riots and mob violence took place.

The death rate is estimated to be anywhere between 200,000 to 2 million. "Communal hatred flares up in Punjab. Pakistan and India each say that they are determined to stop the rioting.

But meanwhile, the exodus continues. " During this migration, there was a group of Muslims living in Bihar. Obviously, since Bihar is closer to Bangladesh, So many Muslims living in Bihar, migrated to East Pakistan.

It's important to specifically mention the Muslim Biharis, because as you'd see later in the story, how they were believed to be the ones against Bangladesh. They were labelled 'Anti-Bangladeshi'. Getting back to the partition for now, the Partition of Bengal was a major issue.

Initially, Bengal, as one state, had voted against Partition, if the partition meant that Bengal would have to be a part of Pakistan. But in Bengal, the region of West Bengal, wanted the partition, and wanted to be a part of India. While East Bengal did not want the Partition.

But if the partition were inevitable, they wanted to join Pakistan. Eventually when the partition took place, West Bengal became a part of India, and East Bengal became a part of Pakistan. The country of Pakistan was divided into two, with the separation between the two spanning 1,500km of Indian territory.

Interestingly, in the new country of Pakistan, the majority ethnic group, was of the Bengalis. More than half the population of the newly formed Pakistan, were the Bengalis living in East Pakistan. The Punjabis, Pakhtuns, Sindhis, and Balochis lived in West Pakistan.

Even though the population of Bengalis was the highest in Pakistan, the powerful positions, in bureaucracy, military, and politics, were concentrated in West Pakistan. Specifically, in the hands of the Mohajirs and Punjabis. While keeping this background information in mind, let's understand the politics in Pakistan after 1947.

Pakistan began as a Parliamentary Democracy. Same as India. The only difference was that the Central Government in Pakistan, was very powerful.

The power was concentrated in the hands of one person, due to which a robust Parliamentary Democracy wasn't established. In 1946, the British government organised elections in undivided India. The results of these elections determined, later when Pakistan and India separated, how the legislatures were to be divided.

Mohammad Ali Jinnah became the Governor General of Pakistan. He passed away a year after the Independence in 1948. After his passing, Nazimuddin became the Governor General.

And Liaquat Ali Khan became the Prime Minister. About 3 years later, in October 1951, Liaquat Ali Khan was assassinated, And Nazimuddin became the new Prime Minister. He appointed Ghulam Muhammad as the Governor General, he was a Punjabi.

The first military coup in Pakistan took place in 1953. when Ghulam Muhammad took over the power and dismissed Nazimuddin. The next year, in 1954, elections took place in Pakistan, in these elections, most of the seats were won by the United Front.

The collation of the opposition parties. The biggest party in it was the Awami League, a party from East Bengal. After these election results, the entire constituent assembly was dismissed by Ghulam Muhammad.

In 1955, Ghulam Muhammad vacated his office, And Major General Iskandar Mirza became the Governor General. Under him, East Bengal was renamed for the first time. East Bengal came to be known as East Pakistan.

Between 1947 to 1971, friends, Pakistan had multiple phases of military rule. This meant that power from the political parties that deserved to be in Pakistan, was being forcefully taken away. Specifically speaking, the people living in East Bengal didn't get the opportunity to be politically represented.

On top of it, most of the expenditure of the country benefitted West Pakistan alone. 75% of the National Budget, was being spent on West Pakistan, even though 62% of the revenue income of the government was from East Pakistan. Economic development was evident in West Pakistan.

During 1969-70, the per capita income of West Pakistan, was 61% more than in East Pakistan. 25 times more military personnel were stationed in West Pakistan. Apart from these, the most important issue was the language.

Jinnah and several of his advisors believed that East Pakistan and West Pakistan can be truly unified only when they start speaking the same language. And in their opinion, the language should've been Urdu. And so we saw Urdu imposition by the rulers of West Pakistan.

Everyone was forced to speak in Urdu. Urdu was being used for official purposes and in the army. But obviously, the people living in East Pakistan were Bengalis.

They spoke Bangla. In fact, 56% of Pakistanis spoke Bangla. Urdu was believed to be the language of the elite.

Only the high-profile people were speaking Urdu. The common people living in Bengal spoke Bangla. On 21st March 1948, Mohammad Ali Jinnah gave a speech in Dhaka, and clearly said that the State Language of Pakistan would be Urdu and no other language.

"Let me make it very clear to you, Leave no doubt that the state language of Pakistan, is going to be Urdu and no other language. " This caused outrage among the people living in Bengal. Eventually, the Urdu imposition led to the beginning of the Bengali Language Movement.

A major protest was being organised on 21st February 1952, by the Language Movement. A large group of students and political activists, gathered in front of the Provincial Assembly to protest. Pakistani army open-fired on them.

5 people were killed. Even now, 21st February is celebrated as the Language Martyr's Day in Bangladesh. Later, in 1999, UNESCO declared 21st February as the International Mother Language Day.

In its response, two years later, in 1954 Bangla was given an Official status, And in 1956, Bangla became a state language as well. But people's opinions on the Bengali culture and language, had strengthened. These incidents had a major impact on the future.

A war broke out between India and Pakistan in 1965, after this war, East Pakistan was left with a weak defence. The economic and political imbalance between East and West Pakistans, was more prominent after this war. This led to a 6 Point Demand for the economic development of East Pakistan.

The demand was led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a founding leader of the Awami League Political Party. The 6 points of the demand shook the country. The very first point of it, was to turn Pakistan into a Federation State.

And the region of East Pakistan, be given more autonomy. And the resources of East Pakistan be given to the government of East Pakistan. They demanded the establishment of two separate currencies in Pakistan, one for West Pakistan and one for East Pakistan.

East Pakistan be allowed to have independent foreign reserves. And in fact, even a separate military force. Their demands were akin to making East Pakistan an independent country.

Obviously, this infuriated the government of West Pakistan. All demands were rejected and in fact, the West Pakistani government claimed that such demands were the same as separatists demands. That they went against the country.

It's the same as trying to divide the country. This is why, on 19th June 1968, when Ayub Khan's government governed Pakistan, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was arrested. 34 other Bengali civil and military officers were arrested for trying to fan conspiracy against Pakistan.

A case of Sedition was levied on them. This case is popularly known as the Agartala Conspiracy Case. General Ayub Khan claimed that Sheikh Mujibur and his associates were collaborating with India in Agartala, to create an independent Bangladesh.

Agartala is in Tripura, fyi. By this point, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had become a popular political leader. He was the voice of Bengalis.

The Bengalis living in East Pakistan had to suffer cruelty, discrimination, and inequality. They pinned their hopes on Awami League and Sheikh Mujibur. After his arrest, people took to the streets.

Large-scale protests took place. During these protests, one of Sheikh Mujibur's imprisoned associates Sergeant Zahurul Haq was killed by a prison guard in jail. This led to more fury among the people.

As if people were prepared for a revolution. Looking at the worsening situation, General Ayub Khan, released Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from jail on 22nd February 1969. And the Agartala Conspiracy Case was withdrawn.

But by then, the demonstrations, protests, and labour strikes, had gathered so much steam, that Ayub Khan had to resign in 1969. Do remember that General Ayub Khan had gotten the office through a military coup. Basically, for the last 10 years, he was running a military dictatorship in Pakistan.

After resigning, he appointed his successor, General Yahya Khan. General Yahya Khan promised to conduct the first general elections in Pakistan. The elections were held in 1970.

The results of the 1970 elections shocked the nation. East Pakistan's political party Awami League, won the elections. 167 seats of the 313 were won by them.

But shockingly, they won no seats in West Pakistan. As per Pakistan's legislature, of the 313 seats, 169 were in East Pakistan, and the remaining in West Pakistan. Since Awami League won 167 seats out of 313, almost every seat in East Pakistan, but none in West Pakistan.

In West Pakistan, Pakistan People's Party, PPP, won 86 seats. And none in East Pakistan. These shocking results show that the two parts of Pakistan had a deep divide between them.

Since the population of people in East Pakistan was more, they had more seats, Awami League is considered to be the winner of the election. But to have a political party form the government of Pakistan that won no seats in West Pakistan, did not match the interests of the political elites in West Pakistan. The leader of PPP back then, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, saw these election results, met with the army officials and General Yahya Khan, and discussed how the National Assembly could be cancelled.

Literally, since the election results weren't what he wanted, he wanted to cancel the results. General Yahya Khan did so. On 1st March 1971, the cancellation of the election results was announced.

This caused an uproar in East Pakistan. People questioned how it could happen in a democracy. They voted, and the party with the most votes won.

But since the higher-ups didn't like it, how could they simply cancel them? Once again, the roads were filled with large-scale protests, and this time, they called for Freedom. They say that since West Pakistan wasn't interested in electing leaders from East Pakistan, they should move aside and give them the autonomy to form their own country.

Friends, this was the foundation of the Bangladeshi Liberation War. By this point, people in East Pakistan, didn't see Islam as a unifying factor. They gave their Bengali ethnicity higher importance.

They wanted to create a Secular, Democratic, Socialist state with Bengali ethnicity as the driving factor. This was the origin of the name of the country, বাংলাদেশ [Bangladesh]. The country of the Bengali people.

On 7th March 1971, after the orders of cancellation, Awami League political party came out in support of the people to mark the beginning of a Non-Cooperation Movement. They weren't going to oblige West Pakistan's government anymore. Sheikh Mujibur gave an inspiring speech on the grounds of a racecourse.

A historical speech. "People in Bengal want freedom. People in Bengal want to live.

People in Bengal want their fundamental rights. " They raise the slogan, "Victory to Bengal! This revolution is for our Freedom!

This revolution is for our Independence! " Friends, by then, the Bengalis in East Pakistan and the Urdu-speaking Biharis, as I mentioned at the beginning of the video, had rising tensions between them. Because the Urdu-speaking people from Bihar, were seen as Pro-Pakistan.

Pro-West Pakistan. Since they used Urdu. And generally, they were in support of West Pakistan.

Several attacks on the Bihari communities were seen during the protests, and in March 1971, Pakistan's army used this as an excuse, to intervene. Pakistani army recruited some pro-Pakistan Bengalis for their operations. This is another interesting aspect.

Not every East Pakistani wanted an independent country. Especially the political party, Jamat-e-Islami. Its political leaders and supporters actually supported the government in West Pakistan.

They collaborated with the Pakistani army. Between 10th and 13th March, all flights of Pakistan International Airlines were cancelled. They were urgently rerouted to Dhaka.

Governmental passengers were flown to Dhaka. Who were they? The Pakistani soldiers dressed as civilians to carry out an operation.

Meanwhile, in East Pakistan protestors had organised themselves. The Bengali nationalists had formed their independent army. Named the Mukti Bahini.

The force of Independence. Mukti Bahini conducted guerilla operations against the Pakistani army, present in East Pakistan. Indian Army contributed here.

The Indian Army provided training in guerilla warfare to the Mukti Bahini. In response, West Pakistan formed an East Pakistan Central Peace Committee. Shanti Bahini.

An ironic name. Shanti Bahini committed endless war crimes. Thousands of civilians were killed, women were violated and brutalised.

Specifically the intellectual people were targeted and murdered. Teachers, scholars, and social activists. They were called Budhhijivi.

By this point in time, law and order were absolutely destroyed in East Pakistan. Bengalis stopped obliging the instructions coming in from West Pakistan. 25th March 1971, the West Pakistani government planned a heinous genocide.

Operation Searchlight. The objective was to target the popular people demanding Bangladesh's independence and killing them. The night of 25th March, thousands of troops of the Pakistani Army marched in Dhaka.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was arrested and taken to West Pakistan. Before his arrest, Sheikh Mujibur had declared East Pakistan an independent country. He said that they were no more a part of Pakistan they were Bangladesh.

This declaration was made via a transmitter so it took some time for it to be transmitted and midnight had passed. This is why, 26th March is celebrated as the Independence Day in Bangladesh. 27th March 1971, Major Ziaur Rahman read this declaration to the public, and announced that Bangladesh was an independent country.

The same night, two student dormitories were attacked in Dhaka. In a night, 7,000 students were murdered by the Pakistani Army. In this Operation Searchlight, more than 30,000 Bengalis were massacred within a week.

Half the people living in Dhaka fled the city. All foreign journalists were deported. And radio operations were shut down.

Military-appointed Pakistani journalist Anthony Mascarenhas, fled to the United Kingdom and on 13th June 1971, he published an article in the Sunday Times narrating the genocide he witnessed in the article. Through this article, the world came to know the oppression in Bangladesh. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi read this article and was motivated to take action.

After this crackdown, several political leaders of Awami League, fled to India for their safety. On 10th April, the People's Republic of Bangladesh government was formed. While in exile in Kolkata.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was declared the President. And Tajuddin Ahmad as the Prime Minister. A huge impact of this conflict was seen in India.

In the autumn of 1971, in one season, more than 10 million refugees crossed the border and entered India. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi considered the options. Using the military and joining the war to save these people would be more economically feasible as compared to helping these 10 million refugees.

We didn't have the funds for the latter. 28th April 1971, Indira Gandhi directed General Sam Manekshaw, to prepare for the war. To be ready to enter East Pakistan.

Initially, General Sam Manekshaw wasn't very confident that India could be prepared in the short duration to be able to win the war. So he refused the direction and offered to resign. But Indira Gandhi had the utmost confidence in him.

Giving him the autonomy to conduct the operation when he deemed fit. His efforts began with providing training to the Mukti Bahini. By July 1971, Indira Gandhi stopped referring to East Pakistan as East Pakistan, By this point, there was no direct conflict between India and Pakistan.

On 3rd December 1971 Pakistan launched Operation Chengiz Khan. Pakistan attacked Indian airfields. Pakistan was worried that India would use its military to interfere in this war, and help Bangladesh get its independence.

So they decided to attack India first. But obviously, this strategy didn't work. Because India's military strategy and military power was much better than Pakistan's.

India's response was to have a defensive military strategy in West Pakistan. And a coordinated offensive thrust in East Pakistan. By sending soldiers to the ground.

With India's entry into the war, Pakistan appealed to the United Nations, to force India into a cease-fire. United Nation Security Council assembled on 4th December and after a long discussion with the USA favouring Pakistan, and the Soviet Union favouring India, the US, China, and the UK, supported to enforce an immediate cease-fire on India. And a recall of Indian troops.

But the Soviet Union vetoed this resolution twice. Keeping in mind the atrocities against the Bengalis, later the UK and France abstained from voting. 6th December 1971, Bhutan became the first country to officially recognise Bangladesh.

The same day, India officially recognised Bangladesh as well. By 12th December, in the Indo-Pak War, Pakistan was facing defeat. Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto flew to New York to discuss the war with America, about how a cease-fire can be imposed.

It took 4 days to finalise the proposal, but by then, in East Pakistan, Pakistan's military had already surrendered. The war was at its end. In frustration, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto stopped his speech at the UN and left.

As you can see in this video. "Why should I waste my time here in the Security Council? I'm going.

16th December 1971, the Indian Army surrounded Dhaka. The Pakistani Army was given 30 minutes to surrender. Lieutenant General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, surrendered without any resistance.

The government of East Pakistan collapsed immediately. On 16th December 1971, the historic Instrument of Surrender was signed. More than 93,000 Pakistani troops surrendered to the Indian forces and the Bangladesh Liberation forces.

This was the largest surrender in the world since World War II. The following year in 1972, the Simla Agreement was signed between India and Pakistan, According to this agreement, Pakistan recognised Bangladesh as an independent country. But what did Pakistan get in return?

India promised that the 93,000 Pakistani prisoners of war would be released to Pakistan over the following 5 months. And the 13,000 km² land that the Indian troops occupied in West Pakistan would be returned to West Pakistan. Friends, this is how a new country was born.

Bangladesh. After being recognised by Pakistan in 1972, in 1974, the United Nations recognised Bangladesh as an independent country. On the other hand, in Pakistan, the dictatorship of Yahya Khan collapsed.

And on 20th December 1971, Bhutto was sworn in as the new President. As per the Simla Agreement, Mujibur Rahman was also released from prison, and he returned to Dhaka as a hero. When the elections were conducted in Bangladesh in 1973, he won the elections with a landslide majority.

His political party Awami League came into power but unfortunately, this point in time wasn't the happy ending of the story. Friends, the problem that Pakistan was suffering from, constant military dictatorships, Bangladesh started suffering the same problem to some extent. Mujibur Rahman was a secular person, and had banned Jamat-e-Islami.

He banned all political parties that were formed on the basis on religion. After he came into power. But on 15th August 1975, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated, along with his family.

The only surviving members were his two daughters who were in Germany then. I have heavily shortened this story, because this involves a lot of complexities. In 1975, General Ziaur Rahman, grabbed the power and tried to change the public narrative.

A military coup was seen even in Bangladesh. He portrayed the military as heroes and the ban on Jamat-e-Islami was revoked, and over the next few years, instead of being a secular democracy, Bangladesh remained a military dictatorship. In 2009, Mujibur Rahman's daughter Sheikh Hasina came into power.

Even now, Sheikh Hasina is in power she's the current Prime Minister of Bangladesh. And Awami League is the ruling party. What was the lesson in this story?

Comment below and let me know what was the lesson that you learned from this story? In my opinion, an important lesson that we need to learn from the story of Bangladesh, is that of Language Imposition. Perhaps had Jinnah not tried to impose Urdu, and had treated Bengalis equally, as the people of West Pakistan, perhaps, Bangladesh needn't have existed.

Or maybe, it still would have. Because geographically, the two regions are vastly different. Their cultures are different that it made it difficult to stay united.

Today, it is difficult to speculate what would have happened. But we can learn and be prepared for the future. If you liked the video, you can watch more such historical videos.

I'd recommend this video on Indira Gandhi's 1975 Emergency, You can watch it by clicking here. Thank you very much!