From: bhattach@quip.eecs.umich.edu (sayan bhattacharyya)
Subject: Re: Victory Day / why India intervened in '71
Organization: University of Michigan EECS Dept., Ann Arbor, MI
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 01:01:45 GMT

In article <BzL183.E3G@news.udel.edu> khaleq@brahms.udel.edu (Mohame Khalequzzaman) writes:
>In article <85595@ut-emx.uucp> shyk@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (shyam krishnamurthy) writes:
>>>
>>What about the heroic Indians???  What we have got in return from the Bangladeshis for 
>>helping them liberate themselves is burnt temples, massacred and butchered chakmas 
>>and the recent massacre in assam. Nice way of thanking us indeed!! 
>>
>>/Shyam
>>
>We the Bangladeshis are greatful for your support in our Liberation War, even
>though you can't expect an eternal friendship from Bangladeshis just because
>you helped us liberate.  The friendship between any two nations is a moral and
>social closeness that need to be based on equal respect for each other and need
>to be renewed from day to day; and never be taken for granted or being taken
>for granted.
>
>Khaleq
> 

I agree totally with Khaleq. Besides, the reason India supported Bangladesh
was not totally devoid of self-interest, i.e. it was not a selfless act on
the part of India that Bangladeshis need to be grateful for. I think the
reason India acted the way she did was because it was in India's political       
and strategic interests to weaken Pakistan, and the dismemberment of Pakistan
certainly achieved this. 

Secondly, during the 1970-71 years the Indian 
government was facing a potentially explosive situation in several parts
of India including West Bengal because of the Naxalite uprising. The 
Naxalites derived ideological sustenance from China, which was at that
time an ally of Pakistan. By intervening in Bangladesh, the government 
of India was largely able to turn Bengali popular sympathy away from the 
Naxalites. The Naxalite leadership was also confused, and the leader of
the Naxalites, Charu Majumdar, raised the slogan "Unify the two Bengals",
supporting the Indian government's action, while other elements in the 
Naxalite leadership opposed the government action. 

History has shown over and over that armed intervention and the "export" of  
liberation never works unless the people really exert themselves. Were it
not for the heroism of the Bangladeshi people , no amount of intervention
by the Indian government could have achieved the liberation of Bangladesh.
Thus, the credit for liberation of Bangladesh belongs solely to the people
of Bangladesh. Let me end this article with a few lines from a poem by
Shamsher Rahman :

           Ami ekjon kobi-ke' jantam
           je' tar doyitar maan rakhbar jonyo
           jaan kobul korechhilo amader ekattorer muktojuddhe' |
           Se' apekhha korto sei diner jonyo
           Jedin tar kobita hobe' 
           Sheikh Mujiber, Moulana Bhasanir surjomukhee bhasoner moto ...

         [ I used to know a poet                     
           who commited himself to our struggle in `71
           for the honour of his beloved,
           waiting patiently for the day
           when his poetry would be like 
           the fiery-as-sun words of Mujib and Bhasani.... ]

                                              Shamsher Rahman
                                              (" Bibeler Kalo Akshargulo")



-Sayan.

             

-- 
Sayan Bhattacharyya          |   Colourless green ideas sleep furiously.
Graduate student             |
Artificial Intelligence Lab  |
The University of Michigan   |
Newsgroups: soc.culture.bangladesh