We Should Remember the Supreme Sacrifice of Soldiers – SP Borase during Vijay Diwas
Mangaluru: To commemorate the sacrifice of our heroic soldiers who have laid down their lives during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, Vijay Diwas was observed by the DK District Ex-Servicemen’s Association at the War Memorial, Kadri Hills, here on December 16.
The programme began with the ceremony of laying the wreath at the Memorial by the Police commissioner Chandra Sekhar, SP Bhushan Borase, Ex-servicemen and other dignitaries.
Ex-serviceman Col N Sharath Bhandary briefed on the significance of December 16 and said, “Vijay Diwas has been celebrated every year on this day as the Instrument of Surrender was signed by the Eastern Command of the Pakistani Armed Forces in Dhaka on December 16, 1971, bringing the nine months long war for the liberation of Bangladesh to an end. Operation Cactus Lily was launched on December 3, 1971, by the Indian Army in East Pakistan. It was a brilliantly planned and meticulously executed military operation, culminating in the surrender of 93,000 Pakistani troopers in East Pakistan. That was the first time in the history of the world after the second world war, that such huge number of troops had surrendered.”
Vijay Vittalnath Shetty speaking on the occasion said, “I am very happy to be the part of this programme. People don’t realise the sacrifices of the soldiers, we need to support the soldiers and their families because, if we are safe in this country it is because of the sacrifice of the soldiers and their families. The people of Mangaluru should come out and join such programmes and support the soldiers and their families.”
Speaking on the occasion, SP Bhushan Borase said, “Since 1947, lakhs of Indian soldiers have sacrificed their lives for the nation. That is the supreme sacrifice anybody can make for the nation. I think, the families of the soldiers are proud of the sacrifice their sons, husbands, brothers have made by laying down their lives for the nation. The mothers who lost their sons, the wives who have lost their husbands, the children who have lost their fathers. Their sacrifice is also great and on this occasion, we need the family members of the soldiers. We salute all the war veterans and family members of the soldiers who laid their lives for the nation. Today by laying the wreath or praising the soldiers our job is not over. We to need to sacrifice in some way for our country. I firmly believe that life is beautiful and it becomes more beautiful when we do something for others. Let us take a pledge to make this country more beautiful to live, we need to think of ‘what I have done for the country’, and if we all think about it, our country will be a beautiful place in the world to live.”
Police commissioner Chandra Sekhar speaking on the occasion said, “There are some historic moments which we should not forget. December 16, 1971, is one such historic moment which we should not forget. Victory in war is one aspect. But more important is the liberation of the crores of people of Bangladesh. Our armed forces have sacrificed their lives and liberated crores of people from bondage and also protected our country. Along with the victory, we need sacrifice, victory does not come by itself. Thousands of our armed forces are responsible for the victory and they have sacrificed their lives”.
Chandra Sekhar further said, “In Andra Pradesh, they believe that if anyone does wrong we need to remember them for three generations and then forget but if anyone does good work we need to remember them for 7 generations and should also keep on helping them for 7 generations. We should express our gratitude to those who have laid down their lives for the country. Thew Armed forces have laid down their lives on the borders to save us from our enemies. Thier sacrifice is no doubt supreme but the sacrifice of their families is even more supreme. We should always remember and respect them on top priority. If we don’t show our respect, it is ungrateful, we should be grateful to those families of the soldiers who have laid down their lives.
Eternal vigilance is the price of democracy, for our nation to survive we have to be vigilant and the price for that every year with internal problems in the country, on average 600 policemen lay down their lives. The policemen also lay down the lives to save us from the internal enemies and we remember the policemen who have laid down their lives on October 21. All the sacrifices should be remembered. Yes, we remember the soldiers by laying the wreath but we need to remember their families, and if they need any help from the police department we can help them. If they will be given jobs in the department, many of them will come forward to serve the country and if we concentrate on this aspect, our future generations will be safe.”
Brigadier, I N Rai delivered the concluding remarks. ADC Kumar, MCC Commissioner Mohammed Nazeer, District Commandant of Home Guards Dr Murali Mohan Chuntar, Rtn Vikram Dutta , Col Balakrishna and Ln S M Airan, NCC officers, Ex-Servicemen and others were also present.