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Analysis: General Shankar's threat to Bangladesh by Dr. M.T. Hussain 1. General Shankar's clear threat to Bangladesh Indian former Army Chief General. Shankar's interview published originally in the Indian daily Asian Age on the 24th and lifted in Bengali translation in the daily Noya Dignata on the 26th March in Dhaka though an unofficial viewpoint from the stalwart may not be seen by some as anything serious, but certainly gives a clear danger signal for the sovereignty of Bangladesh. However, his frank opinion in the matter should be appreciated. 2. Shankar's verbatim His verbatim, "DELHI CAN'T AFFORD TO LET DHAKA SLIP OF ITS RADAR THIS TIME" not only gave a very clear ominous message in its clarity but also for the timing Bangladeshis have been mourning the brutal massacre of over five dozens of brilliant patriotic army officers of the country on the 25-26 mayhem in full knowledge of the P.M. and her colleagues in the cabinet at the BDR Peelkhana head quarter. Thus Gen. Shanker has further added to the account of critical worry for Bangladesh's sovereignty. 3. Ominous signals from Delhi and now from Shankar Since the very inception of the mayhem ominous signals had been pouring in Dhaka from Indian government and their media, Shankar's one being the latest of the tirades against the smaller peaceful neighbor Bangladesh. Was it of any dignity of Shanker that he threatened Dhaka, on the one hand, and advised Delhi to keep Bangladesh in her full control, on the other? One must wonder if the same BDR massacre had been planned and engineered for Delhi by Delhi to make an excuse of the control over Bangladesh's sovereignty tighter than as had been ever? How should the government having overwhelming majority member in the Parliament need Delhi's support for management of its own affairs? Or did India make a ploy of the mayhem to destroy Bangladesh's patriotic army and the BDR? 4. Great Game The General has referred to the 'great game' of India Pakistan rivalry. He was right in this assertion, but that goes back in history not just of the post 1947 period, much less of the post 1971 period. The rivalry was there in historical elements embedded in faith, culture and day- to- day way of life of two main peoples of the Indian subcontinent. Incidentally, Bangladesh shares little from the caste ridden Indian Brahmanism. Instead Muslim egalitarianism is the main essence of Bangladeshi people that made them somewhat closer to Pakistani people, but not less with the Indian Muslims, as well. 5. 1975 August coup misrepresented Gen Shankar's open mind need be appreciated first for the fact that 1971 was a winning game for his own country India. But it is curious and mysterious to know from him that the August 1975 coup of Dhaka was a defeat for India and victory for Pakistan. Pakistan had nothing to do in August 1975 political change in Dhaka. That was India's defeat in the sense that India's lackey had been ousted but in no way was victory of Pakistan. The victory was for Bangladesh. The successful coup of August was brought about not by anybody from outside but by the heroic freedom fighters of 1971 and by the Bangladesh Army followed immediately by jubilation by the common people in Bangladesh. Because, Mujib by then in little over three years of misrule had become a liability for Bangladesh's freedom and sovereignty. His becoming liability had many onus of Delhi that the people confused in 1971 but finally discovered the real hegemonic designs of the Brahmanist Indians who never ever accepted the 1947 partition of the then British India, and so stood against the existence of Pakistan after 1947 and then particularly, Bangladesh in post 1971 period now nearly four decades. 6. Indemnity was inherent in the August coup The August coup of 1975 have not failed but was a victorious one, and so had no liability of any wrongdoing in the coup operation according legal maxim of FACTUM VALET. That was how the coup operators enjoyed indemnity and freedom. After 21 years, in 1996 Sheikh Hasina getting saddled in power of the country went in frenzy to hang those heroes of 1975 August coup. She could not finish the job in deep vengeance though engineered in the process gross miscarriage of justice by abuse of power in her extreme vengeance during 1996-2001 that she now has undertaken to accomplish in the second term. 7. Bangladesh's sense of identity misrepresented Bangladesh is an overwhelmingly Muslim nation not only by population strength but also for past traditions. But such identity issue is blamed by Indian quarters as Pakistani. The General presumed that many Bangladeshi army officers in job are repatriates from Pakistan He lost his sense of simple arithmetic. The latest repatriation from Pakistan was made in late 1973-74 or 35 years ago. Anyone in service then at the age of, say, 25 years as fresher must have already reached over 57 years, the retiring age of Bangladesh civil and military personnel. All personnel now in 2009 representing in services of civil and military have all been recruits of the Bangladesh period and none of the Pakistan period, and so no question of being brainwashed in Pakistani outlook. 8. Bangladesh determined to survive with dignity Bangladesh's real game is for dignified survival of the country free from caste ridden Brahmanism but nothing to be confused with anything Pakistan. In the 1975 August change this element had been a dominant one among some others for pluralism in politics, bare economic issues of everyday life and living. India was then perceived rightly putting hindrances in all these basic issues, apart from total control in a hegemonic nature. 9. Hasina's Vengeance in the BDR Massacre suspected There is an opinion here that she showed her teeth of vengeance as a token by massacring the brilliant army officers on the 25-26 February wherein she had many of her party stalwarts and cadres. That is why the enquiry being conducted being diverted and making smokescreen by her own appointed minister. Her vengeance against the 1975 August military heroes is well known. The massacre perpetrated for long 33 hours in full depth knowledge of Hasina, Home Minter Sahara, and State Minister Nanak etc. should only speak clear of their liability in the mayhem at the BDR Head Quarter at Peelkhana. 10. RAW's hand in the BDR massacre In the mayhem Shankar has admitted that if there was any hand of India the possibility is remote. That proved that he has not altogether denied India's involvement. That the hand of Indian Intelligence R&AW was there is well talked about by many in Bangladesh as many facts on this point have already been unveiled. In 1971, Delhi expected that her eastern front, after the end of the December war, would not only be calm but also be of no military threat in future. But the Bangladesh Army organized in the past decades since late 1970s has been a matter of frustration and suspicion for India and the R&AW. About R&AW's past activities Shankar further stated in the interview that they fed Mujib with lot of information for saving his life prior to the coup in 1975, but were of no use. But very curiously he did not throw any light on the fact that how effectively R&AW had planned well and managed to kill President Zia in May 1981 that later on one Indian weekly (most probably India Today) made public. Not only that, there was also a news how one P.M. rejected the killing proposal and another, next one, (Indira) accorded the approval. 11. Let India be Bangladesh's friend and not Hasina alone As a much bigger country compared to Bangladesh, India would be well advised for making permanent friendship with the State of neighbor Bangladesh and not with Hasina alone. International norms as well, India knows well, speak for friendship with country concerned for durable world peace. Article Source : http://bdosintmonitors.blogspot.com/2009/03/analysis-general-shankars-threat-to.html
