New Delhi: Pakistan wants to break India by promoting terrorism and the Indian security forces foiled these plans in 1971 and now work is going on to eliminate terrorism from the root, said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday.
Addressing the Swarnim Vijay Parv celebrations today at India Gate to commemorate 50 years of India's historic victory in the 1971 war and Indo-Bangladesh friendship, Rajnath Singh said, "Pakistan wants to break India by promoting terrorism. Indian forces foiled these plans in 1971 and now work is going on to eliminate terrorism from the root. We have won in a direct war, victory will be ours in an indirect war also."
Defence Minister pointed out that a neighbouring country is continuously fighting a proxy war with India. "This war also tells us that the partition of India on the basis of religion was a historical mistake. Pakistan was born in the name of one religion but it could not remain one. After the defeat of 1971, our neighbouring country is continuously fighting a proxy war in India," he said.
"This Vijay Parv festival is not only of any particular operation but the spirit of victory settled in the soul of the countrymen and our armies, which is present in all parts of our armies from Rani Laxmibai to Major Somnath Sharma, Veer Abdul Hamid and Captain Vikram Batra today," Defence Minister said.
Recalling the two world wars, he said, "In the twentieth century, there were two world wars which lasted for many years. After both the world wars, if the most decisive wars of the twentieth century are counted, then the 1971 war will be counted among the most decisive wars in the world."