World

Modi to spend INR350m to mark 50th anniversary of 1965 Indo-Pak war

Some retired soldiers of the Indian army have already refused to attend the celebrations

June 26, 2015

PHOTO: AFP

NEW DELHI: The BJP-led Indian government is planning month-long celebrations with an overwhelming cost of INR350 million to honour soldiers who fought the 1965 war with Pakistan, India’s NDTV reported on Thursday.

Citing government sources, the news outlet said the celebrations, starting from August 28, would include a mini parade at Rajpath, the Delhi boulevard that recently hosted a record-breaking yoga performance.

Read: India bends it like Modi on first World Yoga Day

The parade will be held on September 20, and will include, apart from a show of military might, a thrilling aerial display with commandos slithering down ropes from helicopters.

The Modi government will emphatically celebrate the 1965 war as ‘India's victory’ on the fiftieth anniversary of the 1965 Indo-Pak war.

Meanwhile, some retired soldiers of the Indian army have already refused to attend the celebrations as they criticize the BJP government of not implementing the ‘One Rank One Pension bill’.

Read: Controversy: Indian vice president not invited to Yoga Day celebration in Delhi

"We will not attend any government function till OROP in implemented," said Major General (retd) Satbir Singh of the Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement.

The 1965 war started following Pakistan's Operation Gibraltar, which was designed against the illegal Indian occupation of Jammu and Kashmir region.

Both India and Pakistan claim victory to the seventeen-day war which caused thousands of casualties on both sides and also witnessed the largest tank battle since World War II.

Read: China blocks India’s anti-Pakistan move in UN

The hostilities between India and Pakistan ended after a ceasefire was declared following diplomatic intervention by the Soviet Union and USA and the subsequent issuance of the Tashkent Declaration.

The article originally appeared on NDTV.

COMMENTS (42)

malik | 9 years ago | Reply Indians are gOne mad i think they are not accepting the defeat by the brave army of pakistan

raghu | 9 years ago | Reply and monsoon session begins on 21 july... vasundra raje, smiritiriani, sushma swaraj, pankaja munde...seems largest tank battle between congress and BJP

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Jag Nathan | 9 years ago | Reply Operation Gibraltar was launched by General Ayub Khan with the express purpose of capturing Srinagar, flying Pakistan's flag on top of the legislature and incorporating the Indian state of Kashmir into Pakistan. After 50 years of this misadventure, the Indian flag flies there and people elected by Kashmiri population of India run the state. To all the doubting Thomases in Pakistan, if the goal of any war is to win and hold territory and deny the enemy strategic advantage, go figure who won the war. India has enough reasons to celebrate the Victory. Three cheers to Modi.

G. Din | 9 years ago | Reply @Anwar Hayat: "I never knew losing the largest tank battle since WW2 was considered a victory in India. " There is a village in India called "Assal Uttar" (translated from Hindi "The Real Answer" - so aptly). This was the place where Pakistan mounted a ferocious tank invasion in 1965 with Patton tanks received by it from US - and lost all of them. These tanks were the state-of-the-art tanks straight from assembly line. For many years after that, those captured tanks, complete with Pakistani markings, were exhibited at various crossings of various towns in North India. US was so traumatized by the collapse of that attack using their best tank that it sent a commission to report on what had gone wrong. Turned out, that the average Pakistani tanker who Ayub had proclaimed to be ten times braver and stronger and smarter and war-savvy than his Indian counterpart was clueless looking at the control panel of his tank. These celebrations are the celebration of Pakistani military stupidity. This continued in 1971 conflict also.

Hassan Shah | 9 years ago | Reply What's the Point in celebrating a humiliating defeat by the hands of a five times smaller enemy. I suggest you Indians should also celebrate other humiliations like... The Famous Sharja Six by Javed... Two Sixes by Afridi... The day you lost Tibet to China....

Dr,M.M.Khan | 9 years ago | Reply Let us celebrate peace instead of war. In war there is no victory only varying degree of defeat. How many people writing comments on the above were alive in 1965. I was there and experienced it(as a doctor). Often at night when the moon was shining lonliiness at the front used to take over and i often used to ask myself----is it worth it and even now i ask myself WAS IT WORTH IT?.

jamor | 9 years ago | Reply Modi will do anything for publicity

ask | 9 years ago | Reply @Ashok: This amount, besides being a shameless way of purloining others' glory, is meant for impressing the Voters & to refurbish the tarnished image of the government due to some recent embarrassments. Canvassing for State elections in Bihar will commence shortly thereafter. This is therefore just a legal way of financing BJP's political campaign.

Indian | 9 years ago | Reply @ Indian- my son let me explain you the reality. My family has been living in lahore for 5 generations, and you clearly don't understand the dynamics of lahore, including Indian Punjab. Stop putting these mythical words out there ( we were, but); the reality is Lahore is part of Pakistan and always be. Including myself, even before you can breach the border of Lahore,I will be standing with a weapon along with rest of the Punjab to dedefend Pakistan.This is the spirit India never had and never will, but I am sure that this spirit also exists in india's punjab but in fractions.Stop dreaming that your can ever breach Punjab ever again. I can explain other facts to your childish brain but guess for you ignorance is blessing.The solution is that both nations accept other's sovereignty ,and should unite to solve problems like poverty, education,terrorism and last but not least PEACe.

Just Human | 9 years ago | Reply @Babloo: yes because you looser cut of east Pakistan from u and become Bangladesh, also 90,000 surrounded to 5000 Indian army hahahhaha funny.

ask | 9 years ago | Reply Modi is now in tearing hurry to prove himself to be the worst PM India ever had; eventually proving himself worse than any profligate potentate of Mughal & British India. He is busy building the tallest statue in the world, conducting the biggest yogic exercise, wearing/auctioning the costliest suit, and now this jamboree, while millions suffer in silent agony. All that Madison Garden rubbish by childish non-resident Indians has gone to his head.

raghu | 9 years ago | Reply Pakistanis should comment as Pakistanis and not as Indian citizens. Its their general habit. Whether Modi has betrayed people's trust or sidetracking main issues are for us to decide. We dont talk about how corrupt is Nawaz or army's business empire. Its not up to us and limit our responses to its terrorist acitvities. Its shameful that many Pakistanis dont know the etiquette of commenting on forums. They can explain how frustrated they are by Modi's gameplan. Indians give Modi their total support. Yeah few peace hawks, whom our spy agencies never secretly killed are a burgeoning population and will raise hackles. As usual Modi will do what the wants and remains silent against criticisms.

Milind | 9 years ago | Reply @wb / Raj-USA - I agree with you in principle, but unfortunately, showcasing your achievements / power & propaganda play a crucial role in today's world. For years due to socialistic tendencies, we have always remained unassuming & understated our achievements. Add it to the self-demeaning righteousness added to our psyche under the garb of ahimsa, by our bogus leftists & seculars..Result is low self-esteem in that crop of Indians, which always looked at everybody around in awe. INR 350 M is not a big amount and rest assured the current dispensation has cut down on middlemen & contractors in defence procurement. Thus we can safely conclude that all this money would be made up by the savings after cutting down on these malpractices.

raghu | 9 years ago | Reply War celebration is India's internal affair. Why are Pakistani's being agitated. There is a long standing belief in India that our soldiers arent given their due by means of state not celebrating their sacrifices. This is an answer to this. It reminds people about the sacrifices nation made. Pakistan should build more toilets for women, schools for kids before commenting on what India should do. You are not Americans or not even Asians whose per capita is skyrocketting. Regarding Modi diverting attention of people, Modi need not do it. He was immense support in India and he is only changing narrative carefully built by congress during past decades so as to suit them. Pakistanis turn in their graves with their mindless criticism, egoism,hatred. India wouldnt care. Before suggesting India, note that that money is lot less than Pak spends in its nukes. Look into yourselves before accusing others. Mild criticism is acceptable.But pathological hatred will be reverted back.

Indian | 9 years ago | Reply More to add major City of Pakistan Lahore was about to be captured, all that talk of Pakistani standing as wall is crap, u stand as wall at door of ur house not at bedroom. Pakistani's have been smoking something that they have become blind to realities..

Zain | 9 years ago | Reply @Ziddi - first of all your nonsense should not have published at the first place;lets blame tribunue incompitent individual for that. Second- why so much hate? If you are so desperate to post rubbish rather than something beneficial/intellectual , I suggest to do that at your own Indian media. By calling someone brain dead will not make you smart, after reading your comments I reckon your quite sick yourself.

Zain | 9 years ago | Reply Go away Indian trollers. We don't want to respond to your dribble.

Sandip | 9 years ago | Reply @Anwar Hayat: What have you been doing? Attending NDU courses? Well, you have wasted both time and money.

ziddi | 9 years ago | Reply @Anwar Hayat: You are a really brain washed and brain dead child of PAK. Pak launched Gibraltar to take control of Indian Kashmir. But before you enter into Akhnoor you were stopped! The operation Gibraltar failed!! And then India attacked PAK as a revenge and won more land and more POW... within 14 days of war your artillery was finished..and you went to superpowers to stop the war.

ziddi | 9 years ago | Reply @Usman: Celebrating defeat.......really??Oh must have read in Pakistan history book.In today's world people should read internet to know the fact.Most Pakistanis, schooled in the belief of their own martial prowess, refused to accept their country's military defeat by "Hindu India" and were, instead, quick to blame their failure to attain their military aims on what they considered to be the ineptitude of Ayub Khan and his government.

Ashok | 9 years ago | Reply INR 350m...that's just Rs. 35 crore. It's not a news enough. A 500m long bridge in tier 3 city in India would cost that much amount. Pakistani newspapers loves to hype things. I am sure it would be an event to facilitate the Shahid's of the wars.

Sandip | 9 years ago | Reply @Usman: Impossible. The Pakistanis have already beaten us to that distinction.

Major AM Manohar | 9 years ago | Reply What is the use of this celebration when the participant soldiers are on streets fighting the government for pension? If it is the victory by the netas/babudom let them celebrate in isolation.

Azi | 9 years ago | Reply Remember their def. minister said that no wars for so long have depleted the faith and love for their army in people's minds and hearts. After their amazingly poor attempts to initiate a war of words this is the last ditch effort to keep IA alive in nation's priorities.

Muhammad | 9 years ago | Reply @srkian: What fate you are muttering about? What you and your war monger leader do not know is that any misadventure against us could turn your own land into future coal mines. Think about it. Your leader knows he can not be good for anything other than creating upheavals and now that he has begun to realise he is not going to keep his silly promises he made to his stupid audiences he is looking for excuses...such as diverting attention.

excalibur | 9 years ago | Reply when will this pantomime stop at Wagah Border Hilarious and non sensical

CanadianHindu | 9 years ago | Reply Quote from Wikipedia: However, most neutral assessments agree that India had the upper hand over Pakistan when ceasefire was declared

salman | 9 years ago | Reply Modi belongs to a group of RSS ideology who believed that Taj Mahal was built on some Hindu Temple :D so celebrating a defeat as success from the hands of Muslims from Pakistan shouldn't be surprising for these insecure souls.

JD | 9 years ago | Reply Modi is definitely going to be India's downfall. Pakistan on the other hand, should concentrate on internal reforms and direct the funds there. Success will be only a matter of time inshaAllah.

Babloo | 9 years ago | Reply Lets not forget, Pakistan has been celebrating September 5 , to mark their victory ( defeat) in 1965 war , since 1965. People here commenting have no idea of that. Sep 5 is national holiday in Pakistan to mark 'great victory over India'. India is just paying tribute to the martyrs of the 1965-war on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the war started by pakistan.

Anwar Hayat | 9 years ago | Reply I never knew losing the largest tank battle since WW2 was considered a victory in India. Infact India lost so badly, it had to run to the UN and beg for a ceasefire. What's next for Modi...claiming they won Kargil? I never knew losing 4 out of 5 Kargil peaks was considered a victory...Point 5353 is Kargil's highest peak, captured by Pakistan in 1999...and it still has control of it to this day.

Gunga Din | 9 years ago | Reply Usman, from India's perspective, the victory was in preventing Pakistan from successfully conducting Operation Gibraltar, decapitating the Indian Union via the "Chicken Neck" Akhnoor corridor and annexing Jammu and Kashmir. From Pakistan's perspective ( which often assumes India is perennially in a quest to reverse the Partition by conquering Pakistan ), India's counter-attack across the International Border in Punjab was "successfully repulsed". The proof of what constitutes "victory" in this war is measured by the objective of the war. Pakistan's objective was to seize Kashmir, which it could not. India's objective was to relieve pressure on Kashmir by opening a second front elsewhere, which it successfully did. Denying the capture of Kashmir, thus, thwarted Pakistan's objective in starting this war, and this makes it a "victory" for India.

Khurram S | 9 years ago | Reply celebrating 5 planes lost in less than a minute? makes perfect sense.

Hamza | 9 years ago | Reply Spending 350M on a grand party to celebrate defeat in a country where 200million people live below poverty line is just shameful.

Bewildered | 9 years ago | Reply "The Modi government will emphatically celebrate the 1965 war as ‘India’s victory’ on the fiftieth anniversary of the 1965 Indo-Pak war." India's Victory? Last time I checked, Azad Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan, Lahore, and Sailkot were still part of Pakistan. What exactly did India win in 1965 war?

Aamir - Toronto | 9 years ago | Reply @srkian.....who are you threatening????. If you are aiming at my beloved country (Pakistan) then you will not survive to see India's fate. Why don't you force your PM to spend this money on poor people who can't afford a toilet or place to sleep at night.

wb | 9 years ago | Reply If this happens, I promise that I'll not vote fore Modi again. ET, let my comment through to fellow nationalist Indians. We are a starving country. We're a country with little to no healthcare. We're a country of poor. We're a third world country where more than 30% of population lives below poverty line and more than 60% of the country barely make it through. WRT every single human indices, we are scraping the bottom of the barrel. Should we take pride and spent extravagantly, because we're better than Pakistan? Is Pakistan our standard? In this situation a tiny victory over a puny opponent is not a thing of celebration, but a thing of neglect. And to celebrate that is tragedy of titanic proportions. It's like a father celebrating victory over the fake wrestling with his 2 year old. Just absolutely filthy. Just a month ago, 1500 of our people died because the same MODI government did not give the poor respite from heat. As I comment right now, there are thousands who are trying to save themselves from the floods. And if this celebration goes on, this is a tragedy of highest orders and Modi cannot imagine how many of BJP voters he's alienating. I'll of course not vote for him and goat thousands upon thousands to kick this arrogant BJP out. This is disgusting. Make me wanna vomit!

Raj - USA | 9 years ago | Reply Really, really stupid. Very, very stupid of Modi to do this.

Antebellum | 9 years ago | Reply Reminds me of that scene from movie Gladiator where the unpopular Roman emperor to divert people's attention away from real & serious issues announces public Games. Needless to say did not end well for him!

srkian | 9 years ago | Reply way to go mr. modi let all who wish to harm my nation get the message of wat their fate wud be

Mirror | 9 years ago | Reply A lot of poor indians could get toilets for a change? Or a lot of police officers could be added to increase security for girls againt rape? #Priorities

Usman | 9 years ago | Reply Hence starting a new trend of celebrating defeat.

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