AFOVA New Letter 2 of Year 2021

Section 7 – Panorama CV 2 No. 02 / 2021 Page 304 of 332 'I speak to you at a moment of grave peril to our country and our people. Some hours ago, soon after 5:30 pm on December 3, Pakistan launched a full‐scale war against us.' 'The Pakistan air force suddenly struck at our airfields in Amritsar, Pathankot, Srinagar, Avantipur, Utterlai, Jodhpur, Ambala and Agra.' 'Their ground forces are shelling our defence positions in Sulemankhi, Khemkaran, Poonch and other sectors.' 'Since last March we have borne the heaviest of burdens and withstood the greatest of pressure and a tremendous effort to urge the world to help in bringing about peaceful solution...' '...Today, the war in Bangladesh has become a war on India, and this imposes upon me, my Government and the people of India an awesome responsibility. We have no other option but to put our country on a war footing. Our brave officers and jawans are at their posts, mobilized for the defence of the country. Emergency has been declared... we are prepared for any eventualities.' '...I do not doubt that it is the united will of our people that this wanton and unprovoked aggression of Pakistan should be decisively and finally repelled. In this resolve, the Government is assured of the full and unflinching support of all political parties and every Indian citizen.' 'We must be prepared for a long period of hardship and sacrifice. We are a peace-loving people, but we know that peace cannot last if we do not guard our freedom, our democracy and our way of life. ' 'So today we fight, not merely for territorial integrity, but for the basic ideas which have given strength to this country, and in this alone we can progress to a better future.' 'Aggression must be met and the people of India will meet it with fortitude and determination, with discipline and the utmost unity.' Mrs Gandhi had to wait to make this declaration almost till the midnight of December 3, the IAF explains. Bengali pilots from the Pakistan air force trained by the IAF, flying an Indian helicopter and transport plane (hastily modified for delivering armaments) from airfields in India, were used to fire the first shots in East Pakistan on the night of December 3.