"India should have gained more after 1965 and 1971 wars" ::::: Change is only Permanent feature of human existence .... says an ex-army personnel in Manipur commenting on state's ethnic problems, Naga issue

Initially he declined to talk to me. 

I made a case saying my visit to his 'home district' and his state of Manipur would be futile if a reasonable and well-informed man like him would not open up.

 

Reluctantly he obliged and then he threw up some one-liners -- which actually can help policy makers and various stakeholders and more importantly - the 'Neta-Babu and Military' combo work for the betterment of the society and the country as a whole.

                                                two snaps: Crucial to 1965 Indo-Pak war

According to him the 1965 war with Pakistan and then the Bangladesh's war of Independence in 1971 were two vital chapters. 

"India won both.... we gained strategically and yet we turned the big gain to a consolation prize .... the wars half-won were glorified and there the political leadership blundered," he remarked.  

"Our victory after two decisive military wins could have been greater had we treated Pakistan with the language they really understood.... We handled with kid gloves and our objectives failed...," he said.

The Simla (Shimla) Agreement of July 3, 1972  has not prevented the relationship between India and Pakistan from deteriorating to the point of armed conflict, most recently in the Kargil War of 1999, he said. 

"We did not bargain properly at all....," he said. 

It was on 16th December, 1971 that Lieutenant General AAK Niazi, the commander of Pakistan army signed the Instrument of Surrender in Dhaka.

So basically, Pakistan lost the war against India.. and yet  the Indian demand, according to P N Dhar, the then secretary to Indira Gandhi and member of her advisory council, (during Simla talks) was that the then Line-of-Control in Kashmir be transformed to International border. 

We blundered, said the former soldier adding, ~93,000 Pakistani PoWs were released, the 5k Sq.mile land occupied by India "would also be returned" and we merely got in return that:

"---The Kashmir issue will be negotiated peacefully and BILATERALLY with no third-party involvement".

Netaji Subhas Bose's INA flag replica in Manipur

Turning to Bangladesh, he said - "I am talking to you on Bangladesh because I will be visiting Agartala soon for a family wedding in Jiribam region of Manipur.... After 1971, the then Indian leadership should have bargained and kept Defence of Bangladesh under some kind of Indian supervision. We did not know how to celebrate the success".  

Asked to comment on Pakistan and its 're-enforced' attempts in 2024 to befriend Dhaka; the former military man said - "Pakistan is a country that remained chained to three As -- Army, Allah and America.... They do not know a nation cannot survive like that now America is gone and they are begging China.

"However, India needs to have a sharper strategy with regard Bangladesh... if people in that country can show disrespect to their founder Mujib, we should not trust them unless things are really on table". 

In terms of bigger strategies, he said, "India has to learn how to behave like an elder brother. Military strategy and mindset ought to be revamped". 

 I also posed questions on social issues especially in view of continuous conflicts between various communities in the north east.

He said: "We have to evolve.... There is an old saying there is nothing Permanent except Change. We in the north east are highly egoistic and status quoists. We are scared of any change and are reluctant to give up the comfort zones we have".  

"Societies must evolve from tradition to modernity.... This modernity does not mean eating one meat or the other.... This does not mean on line shopping etc. 

The change has to come in mind... Everything cannot be done by law or in writing," he said.  

This works for ethnic conflicts in Manipur or even for an early Solution to the Naga issue, he maintained. 

"Hindu women have shown exemplary change and the society has accepted... This must be understood in the right spirit. Daughters are now lighting their parents' and elders' funeral pyres... 

There is no code to allow or disallow such a thing... Society, men and women should evolve out of unwritten social laws". 

Finally I asked him, "Has India blown up its chance and whether we will really achieve Viksit Bharat (Developed India) status by 2047?" 

This time answer was slightly vague :

"Another important period of Indian history was between 2004 and 2009. We have Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister. Political power was with Sonia Gandhi. But many people did not realise the governance power was with the Communists...They dominated Indian agenda until Dr Singh forced them to withdraw support over Nuke deal.... We lost an important phase then...," he merely said.

ends