Carried Ammunition During 1971 War, Ready To Return To Action: Bengal Septuagenarian Who Saw Two Battles

By Abhijit Bose

Jalpaiguri: If you have a look at the map, you will find how precariously Jalpaiguri is placed on the India-Bangladesh border. Septuagenarian Sarada Prasad Das, a local, had the fortune to witness two wars — in 1965 and 1971 — as a child. His plight as an eighth standard student during the wars would send a shiver down the spine.

The horror of confining himself to a bunker for days to escape shelling was nightmarish during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. At that time, he carried ammunition to the border with his friends at the call of soldiers. Despite having faced the ordeal, Das won't shy away if such a situation arises even today. He is ever ready to return to the field with a renewed vigour. Although he fully supports Operation Sindoor to thwart militancy in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, Das does not want another war. "War means poverty, hunger and the cries of the common people," he recalls.

A resident of the nondescript Naljoa Para in Dakshin Berubari Gram Panchayat of Jalpaiguri, Das is currently the joint secretary of the India-Bangladesh Border Defence Committee. After the dastardly act of Pakistan-sponsored terrorists in Pahalgam, the people of the border area are worried about the reignition of war.

Nevertheless, Das is ready to embrace any challenge thrown at him after having witnessed two major wars. He said, if necessary, he will lend a helping hand to the army in the war, like he did as a child.

Sarada Prasad Das was a Class 8 student when the war broke out. (ETV Bharat)

In December 1971, the Indo-Pakistan war broke out in the Chiladanga area, roughly five kilometres from Das's home. He said the pond in the house was drained out for a bunker. "We used to hide in that bunker during heavy shelling," he added.

According to Das, the Jalpaiguri border was a vital point during the 1971 war. The role of the Indian Army and Border Security Force (BSF) at Binnaguri Army Camp was crucial to defend it, and to train the Mukhtijoddhas there. The border people helped the army in that war as much as they could.

"I built a bunker in Chiladanga to take shelter in it during the firing. There was a severe scarcity of daily essentials after the 1965 war. During the 1971 war, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi asked the countrymen to cooperate with freedom fighters and stand by the BSF and the army. I carried the ammunition on my shoulders to the border. My friends and I helped the army together," Das told ETV Bharat.

Das studied at Manikganj High School on the India-Bangladesh border and was a blind follower of the school teacher-cum-freedom fighter Sudhanshu Majumdar. "Our teacher, Sudhanshu Majumdar, a freedom fighter, used to teach history. He taught us Netaji's (Subhas Chandra Bose) lessons. Since then, a sense of nationalism grew in us. We became Netaji's followers. Sudhanshu Majumdar was the leader of the Berubari movement in 1958. The people of the border used to call him 'God'. We also volunteered to help the army under his inspiration," Das shared his experience.

"Due to the open border, refugees started taking shelter on this side (India) during the war. Mastermoshai (teacher) used to help and feed them. I started helping the army along with my school friends, Nazir Hussain Haque and Bidhan Roy. We used to carry shells on our shoulders from Manikganj to the Pakistan border at Singh Road, Kairi Hatkhola, Jadarbhanga, and Bara Shashi," he added.

Sarada Prasad Das speaks on the phone at a tea stall. (ETV Bharat)

"The steps the government took against the militants are right. I am a Forward Bloc party member. We fully support the decision taken by our government to suppress the militants in the national interest, following the Forward Bloc's policy. We are still on the ground. If the need arises again, we are ready to cooperate with the BSF or the army. This is also a decision of our party. I will personally extend my cooperation again in the future," Das proudly said.

Despite the strong words, Das is for peace. "We saw the suffering of people in the aftermath of war. Many fled, leaving their families behind, and several died. We want what the fundamentalist forces are doing to stop immediately. They should be convinced that a solution can be reached through negotiations to refrain from war. That is what is desirable," he added.

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