Last updated on August 29th, 2024 at 06:44 pm
The Congress leader was deeply worried to see the demolition of a statue at Mujibnagar’s 1971 Shaheed Memorial Complex, built to mark the liberation of Bangladesh. The statue represented the historical moment when Pakistan surrendered after the war in 1971. Tharoor denounced the vandalism, which he blamed on “anti-India vandals.”
“Pained to see images like this of statues at the 1971 Shaheed Memorial Complex, Mujibnagar, destroyed by anti-India vandals,” Tharoor, MP from Thiruvananthapuram, said in a post on X. He pointed out the bigger trend of these attacks-a spate of attacks on Indian cultural centers, temples, and Hindu homes in recent times.
Historical Context and Significance
This resulted in the freedom of Bangladesh following the 1971 war when Pakistan suffered a humiliating defeat. The dismantled statue symbolized the defeat of Pakistan Army Major-General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, who surrendered along with other 93,000 troops, to Lt General Jagjit Singh Aurora, the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of India’s Eastern Command – the most consequential military surrender post the Second World War.
Current Unrest and War Violence
The vandalism was carried out amidst increased unrest in Bangladesh due to a student-led uprising, which saw former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resign on August 5, after more than one month of protests that left at least 450 people dead. Hasina is accused over several serious charges including murder, extra-judicial disappearance, money laundering and corruption.
Pleas for Restoration of Peace
The violence has driven Tharoor to pressure the new emergency government, which will be led by Nobel Prize-winner Muhammed Yunus, to act speedily to cement a truce. It is imperative that Muhammed Yunus and his interim government take urgent steps to restore law and order in the interests of all Bangladeshis, of every faith.
