Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of India's Greatest Military Victory

Dec 03 NEW DELHI: In a radio broadcast shortly before midnight, the Prime Minister Smt Indira Gandhi addressed the nation. The following is a brief excerpt from her speech.

"I speak to you at a moment of great peril to our country and our people. Some hours ago, soon after 5.30 pm on the 3rd December, Pakistan had launched a full scale war against us.......Today a war in Bangladesh has become a war on India....I have no doubt that by the united will of the people, the wanton and unprovoked aggression of Pakistan should be decisively and finally repelled.....Aggression must be met and the people of India will meet it with Forutitude , determination, discipline and utmost unity."

She said that the people should be prepared for a long period of hardship and sacrifice. What was at astatek was not merely India's territorial integrity but the basic ideals which had given strenghth to the nation.

She had mentioned that India had urged the world to help in bringing about a peaceful solution of the Bangladesh problem and prevent the anhilation of the entire people whose only crime was to vote democratically. She regretted that the world had ingrnoed the basic causes and concerned itself only with certain repurcussions.

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