Amid '1971 Pakistan Surrender Painting' Row, Army Affirms It Is Placed At The 'Most Befitting Place'

(MENAFN- Live Mint) The iconic picture capturing the moment of Pakistan's surrender in 1971 has been installed at its 'most befitting place' on the occasion of Vijay Diwas, the Indian Army said on Tuesday. The Indian Army issued a statement days after several Army veterans raised objections to replacing the painting at the Army Chief's office with another titled 'Karma Kshetra'.

The painting of Lt Gen A.A.K. Niazi signing Pakistan's Instrument of Surrender in 1971, alongside India's Lt Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora, was installed at The Manekshaw Centre, Indian Army said in a post on X.

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“On the occasion of #VijayDiwas, #GeneralUpendraDwivedi #COAS, along with the President #AWWA, Mrs Sunita Dwivedi, installed the iconic 1971 surrender painting to its most befitting place, The Manekshaw Centre, named after the Architect and the Hero of 1971 War, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw . Senior hierarchy & serving officers of #IndianArmy and #Veterans were present on this occasion,” read the post by ADGPI.

The painting was installed at the centre to honour the late Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw, who is also known for his immense contribution to the India-Pakistan war of 1971 .

Controversy over the painting

The development comes days after a few Army veterans objected to replacing the painting at the Army chief's office with another painting titled 'Karma Kshetra'. The new painting features Chanakya and modern warfare systems in the background of Pangong Tso at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.

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Former Indian Army officer Lt Gen H S Panag, took to social media to highlight the matter.

“The photo/painting symbolising India's first major military victory in 1000 years and also first as a united nation, in 1971, has been removed by a hierarchy which believes that mythology, religion and distant fragmented feudal past will inspire future victories,” H S Panag wrote on X.

Apart from Army veterans, several politicians also raised the matter. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra raised the issue in Lok Sabha in her Zero Hour reference.

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