Pak-backed terror will be eliminated: Rajnath
India won the direct war against Pakistan in 1971 and it will also win the ongoing indirect war against Pakistan-induced terrorism, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said.
The 1971 war showed that India’s division — at the time of its independence from the British rule — in the name of a religion was a “historic mistake”, he said on Sunday.
“Pakistan wants to break India by promoting terrorism and other anti-India activities,” the minister said in his speech at the inaugural ceremony of ‘Swarnim Vijay Parv’ (Golden jubilee celebration) to commemorate India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war.
The Indian armed forces defeated all its plans in the 1971 war and they are currently working to uproot the menace of terrorism, Singh noted.
“We won the direct war and I can fully assure that we will win the indirect war too,” he added. The minister said the Indian government had planned to conduct this Swarnim Vijay Parv in more glorious manner.
“However, due to untimely death of the country’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 other armed forces personnel, it was decided to conduct this event with simplicity,” he mentioned. “Today, at this event, I remember each one of them and pay my tribute to them,” he noted.
“He (Gen Rawat) was extremely excited regarding this Swarnim Vijay Parv’s celebration. He discussed various issues related to the organisation of this event with me personally. Therefore, I miss him a lot today,” he mentioned.
The minister inaugurated the “Wall of Fame-1971 Indo-Pak war” at Sunday’s event.
He also visited the display of military equipment at the event.
He said the valour that was shown by the Indian armed forces during the 1971 war has always been a subject of pride for every Indian.