Victory over Pak in 1971 War is India’s greatest achievement: Goa governoe Sreedharan Pillai

New Delhi, September 15: Governor of Goa, P.S. Sreedharan Pillai, on Tuesday, said that the 1971 war was “the greatest achievement of our country in the field of war”.

 

 

 

Pillai was speaking at the commemorative event held at Azad Maidan in Panji, to felicitate veterans from Goa who participated in the war of 1971. This event was held as part of Swarnim Vijay Varsh, celebrating ‘Golden Jubilee’ of India’s victory over Pakistan in 1971.

 

Pillai said there were lessons to be learnt from the 1971 war that led to the creation of Bangladesh and said all religions must come together and unite.

 

 

 

He said, “The 1971 Bangladesh war, according to me, (there was) a false concept regarding a nation…a nation based on religion and a particular school of thought. It will never exist. Gandhiji and others always stood for a united India. Then, one group of people, I am not mentioning any names or anything, they stated that no, religion is the basis for a country, so we want a separate country… But in 1971, that country was divided into two because of the people of East Pakistan. Bangladesh, they gave a verdict in favour of the Awami League led by Shaikh Mujibur Rehman.”

 

Pramod Sawant, the Chief Minister, who too was present at this event, said, “I welcome the Vijay Mashaal in Goa and I feel very proud to be part of this gathering. By remembering the 1971 war, the youth will once again feel inspired and it will ignite values of patriotism.”