Sindhi Leader Urges Bangladesh to Remember 1971 Ties with India

Sindhi leader Shafi Burfat issued a strong message to Bangladesh on Victory Day, urging them to uphold their national liberation roots and counter anti-India sentiments. Highlighting the 1971 Liberation War, he warned against aligning with forces opposed to independence and stressed the importance of strengthening ties with India.

On Victory Day, Shafi Burfat, the Sindhi leader and Chairman of the Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM), delivered a powerful message to the people of Bangladesh. He urged them to safeguard the moral, political, and historical foundations of their liberation, cautioning against the growing anti-India sentiment within the nation.

Recalling the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, Burfat emphasized it as a pivotal moment in South Asian history, lauding the Indian Army and India's political leaders for their decisive intervention. He commended the leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the contributions of the Mukti Bahini, noting India's critical role under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in halting genocide and supporting an independent Bangladesh.

Burfat decried the atrocities of the 1971 crackdown, where nearly three million Bengalis were killed and numerous women subjected to sexual violence, labeling it as one of the gravest modern crimes against humanity. Expressing concern over current developments, he criticized the allegedly non-democratic regime in Bangladesh for allying with forces opposed to its independence, and warned that fostering anti-India sentiment distorts history and undermines sovereignty.

(With inputs from agencies.)