India Calls Out Pakistan’s Denial Over 1971 Bangladesh Genocide, Backs Dhaka’s Push for Justice
New Delhi: India on Friday said Pakistan continues to deny the atrocities it committed during Operation Searchlight in 1971 a campaign that included the systematic killing of millions of Bangladeshi civilians and widespread sexual violence against women, driving millions to flee into India.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, speaking at a weekly press briefing in New Delhi, said Pakistan’s actions “shook the conscience of the world.” India, he added, stands with Bangladesh in its pursuit of justice.
Jaiswal’s remarks came in response to a message posted by Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to mark Genocide Day. The message featured archival footage documenting the pre-planned massacre carried out by Pakistani forces showing attacks on unarmed civilians, intellectuals, and students at Dhaka University, Pilkhana, and Rajarbagh Police Lines. The footage described the events as one of the most heinous genocides in modern history.
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The statement from Rahman carries political weight. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which he leads, has historically drawn criticism for downplaying the 1971 killings. Describing the events explicitly as a “pre-planned massacre” and a “heinous genocide” is a departure from the party’s usual position.
On other fronts, Jaiswal said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is attending the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Paris on March 26–27. On the sidelines, Jaishankar met counterparts from France, Canada, South Korea, Japan, Brazil, the UK, Germany, and Ukraine. In the discussions, Jaishankar raised the need for UN Security Council reforms, improvements to peacekeeping operations, and stronger humanitarian supply chains.
On the West Asia situation, Jaiswal said four India-flagged LPG tankers cleared the Strait of Hormuz without incident. India remains in contact with key stakeholders in the region, including Iran, to protect its energy supply lines. No evacuation of Indian nationals from Gulf countries is planned, and hundreds of commercial flights between India and the region continue to operate normally.