Partition of India on religious lines was a ‘historic mistake’: Rajnath Singh.

As the government commemorates India’s victory over Pakistan in 1971 War, which led to the liberation of Bangladesh, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Sunday said that the war was a reminder that India’s partition on religious lines was an “aitihasik galti” (historic mistake), and that Pakistan has ever since continued to engage in a proxy-war against India.

Speaking at the inauguration of Swarnim Vijay Parv at India Gate in the national capital, marking 50 years of India’s victory in the 1971 war as well as the Indo-Bangladesh friendship, Singh said that the war also demonstrated the importance of “jointness” among India’s armed forces, towards which the government was working now.

The 1971 war, Singh said, “tells us that the partition of India on the basis of religion was a historic mistake. Pakistan was born in the name of one religion but it could not remain one. After the defeat of 1971, our neighbouring country is constantly waging a proxy war in India.”