Cyclothon marks golden jubilee year of Indo-Pak war

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 10

With the 1971 Indo-Pak war entering its golden jubilee in 2021, the Army, along with the BSF, organised a programme, as a part of the ongoing ‘Swarn Vijay Varsh’ to celebrate India’s victory over Pakistan.

Besides, honouring the war veterans and kin of martyrs at the Punjab State War Memorial and Museum, a cyclothon was also flagged off by BSF DIG Bhuphinder Singh. Officers, as well as children of the Army and the BSF officers participated in the cyclothon, from the Attari border to the war memorial.

Seven 1971 war heroes and the next of kin of the martyrs joined the wreath laying ceremony.

Major General Raju Baijal, recipient of the Sena Medal, said the event also marked the formation of East Pakistan as the new nation of Bangladesh. “The occasion marked the brave deeds of our soldiers who sacrifised their lives in the service of the nation,” he said.

Col HP Singh (retired), general manager of the memorial, said, “The memorial is the apt place to pay tributes to the soldiers of the war. An original Patton tank that was captured from Pakistan forces is also stationed here, and there is a full-fledged gallery erected at the memorial,” he said.

Brigadier Joginder Singh Jaswal (retired), recipient of the Vir Chakra and the Sena Medal, who was a part of the 1971 squad, also showed solidarity with the farmers, who were protesting against the farm laws.

“Constitutional dictatorship is prevailing at the Centre, worse than that at the time of the Emergency during the regime of Indira Gandhi. The farmers have been braving the adverse weather conditions. The former servicemen too face discrimination. They have been fighting to get one rank-one pension (OROP) for the past five years, but in vain. Similarly, many facilities given to the veterans have also been withdrawn. Taxes have been imposed on canteen facility,” he said.