Bangladesh liberation best example of military intervention: Gen Mehta

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 7

The liberation of Bangladesh was the best known example of military intervention to liberate a country but without occupying it, said Lt Gen SS Mehta (retd), a trustee of The Tribune, while speaking at the release of the book Heroes of 1971 here today.

Witness to ’71 war

I have witnessed it (1971 war) with my own eyes, the barbarism perpetuated in Bangladesh was unimaginable. We liberated them in 13 days. Lt Gen SS Mehta

Lt Gen Mehta, who as a young Major was the tank commander of the first Indian tank troop that rolled into Dhaka in December 1971, cited the book “Just and Unjust Wars”, by Michael Walzer, to say that there is no example of humanitarian intervention like what India did in 1971. Nobody took action, India did, it liberated a country that was facing genocide.

It was a victory of democracy over military rule, said General Mehta. It was also a victory of humanism over barbarism, he said.

“I have witnessed it with my own eyes, the barbarism perpetuated in Bangladesh was unimaginable,” he said, adding that no Indian soldier hurt a single citizen of Bangladesh. It was also a victory of liberation over occupation.

“We liberated them within 13 days,” he said. From the military standpoint, it was a victory of manoeuvre as 30,000 Pakistan soldiers surrendered to 3,000 Indian troops. “Incredible India can become ‘Invincible India’ if we are ‘Team India’,” General Mehta said.

Speaking for the soldier, he said the soldier signs up for unlimited liability, “our training is that there are no runners-up and we have no concept of caste, colour or creed”. On Bangladesh, he said, “We are happy that the nation is happy and a prosperous country. Our young people do not know how the victory was achieved.”

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