Swarnim Vijay Varsh: Rekindling memories of 1971 Indo-Pak war

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 14

Fifty years on, Manjit Kaur (70) of Khurdpur village has all her memories fresh of the pain and trauma that she underwent during the 1971 Indo-Pak war.

She was one among the 20 veterans, Veer Naris and family members of the war heroes, who were felicitated by Governor VP Singh Badnore at Swarnim Vijay Varsh anniversary organised by the Vajra Corps.

“I was just 20 then and had got married just a week ago when my husband Lance Naik Harbhajan Singh was called back by the Army. Within days of his departure, there were reports of the war and the excitement of being a newly-wed vanished rather, too, fast. My in-laws sent me to my parents’ place at Bhango Lahna village in Kapurthala. There a neighbourer told my father that my husband had got bullet injuries during the war and that he was under treatment. We were completely helpless as there was no means of communication then,” she recalled.

The respite came for the family when days later they received a letter from Lance Naik Harbhajan Singh that he was recuperating. “That was such an emotional moment for me, especially getting to know that he had written the letter with his left hand as he had received two bullets on his right arm. He also received three gunshots on his leg. When his condition stabilised, the Army sent him home on leave for three months. It was like a hero’s homecoming and later he also got selected for the Vir Chakra and got the post as Honorary Captain,” she said adding that her husband passed away just two years ago.

Vir Chakra awardee Brig Joginder Singh Jaiswal (74), who, too, was a recipient of the honour today, had a very emotional memory to share. “If I am alive today, it is all because of Sepoy Manjit Singh of Amritsar. I owe everything, including my Vir Chakra to that brave martyr and the Sena Medal winner. Having served in the Navy in 1963 and subsequently in the Airforce (even during 1965 war), I was commissioned in the Army in 1970. I was Second Lieutenant when the 1971 war started, I was deployed at Channanwala border outpost of the BSF. We were guarding this post when Sepoy Surjit, who was just on my backside noted that the enemy had aimed at me. Just as he alerted me, I ducked down and got saved, but he himself got killed by the same bullet. My saviour was also a part of the boxing team of which I was the Captain,” he said. Brig Jaiswal was one among those who was invited to attend the address of ex-PM Lal Bahadur Shastri post the war.

Attending the event was also Dr Hargunjot Kaur, niece of Deputy Commandant IS Uppal of the BSF. “My uncle passed away when his son Robin was just 4-month-old. My aunt, who later became an academician, raised the family amid lots of hardships. Since Robin is settled in New Zealand and my aunt is no more, I had come to receive the honour for the family, ” said Dr Hargunjot.

The Governor was welcomed by Lieutenant Gen C Bansi Ponnappa, GOC, Vajra Corps. He paid homage to the brave and valiant soldiers of the Indian Army and laid a wreath at Vajra Shaurya Sthal. He also visited the Vajra Museum. He said continuous efforts were required to bring back 54 Prisoners of War from Pakistan. Extending support to the green earth movement, the Governor planted a sapling and encouraged everyone to do the same to reverse the climate change.