New Delhi: Indian Army veterans today paid homage to the departed martyrs who sacrificed their lives during Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka at National War Memorial, New Delhi on Friday. It's been 35 years since the first Indian Peacekeeping forces (IPKF) soldiers landed on Sri Lankan soil on 30 July 1987, the very next day after the Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord was signed.
"In that brutal war which went on for 2 years, 7 months, 3 weeks, and 3 days, we lost over 1,200 men on the line of duty. Yet, it has taken successive Indian governments over these three decades to even recognize the sacrifices of its soldiers," said Khanna to ETV Bharat.
Elaborating further, Brig Dr. BK Khanna, who commanded a Battalion in the Island nation during "Operation Pawan" said, "It is unfortunate that even after 35 years, none of the successive Indian governments have even recognized the sacrifices and bravery of our martyrs who laid down their lives.
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The governments have been thinking that it was a Vietnam-type attempt by India. But what was the fault of Armed forces? We had gone there only after receiving the instructions from the government. When the governments changed both in India and in Sri Lanka and then the withdrawal happened in 1990. I can assure you that we had struck down there for another 3-5 months, then we would've forced LTTE to lay down its arms," said Brig Khanna.
It is for the second time now that the Government has allowed this silent procession. The last time such a silent procession happened was in 2021. "I can't see any reason why the governments haven't been recognizing the sacrifices of its own soldiers," replied Brig Khanna to a question over why no one from the Union Government or from the Defense Ministry came to attend the homage ceremony today.
It is pertinent to note here that the "Kargil war" which is celebrated every year with much pomp and show when total soldiers killed were 527 but in "Operation Pawan", two and a half time more soldiers laid down their lives .
Dr Neena Khanna, wife of Brig Khanna, sharing her experience of those turbulent times said that "I cannot forget those hard times. He (Brig) had not only left me with my children but since he was commanding a unit there, I had to take care of other 187 families."
With tears in her eyes, she added that "I still remember the time when we used to wait anxiously for our husband's return. With each passing day, we used to wait anxiously whether our husband's would return back alive or not and in what shape. One day ashes of a soldier returned to India and I had to gave those ashes to the martyr's wife and that was the toughest point in my life".
