Pakistani forces had launched a robust operation to stamp out all Bengali opposition to their plans in East Pakistan. Brutal and ruthless it soon achieved a measure of success. The defeat of the freedom movement in East Bengal was totally against Indian interests. There was also the danger of leadership of the Mukti Bahini and the resistance movement passing into the hands of ultra-Leftists. Therefore, the Indian prime minister, Indira Gandhi ordered the arming, training and tasking of the Mukti Bahini by the Army.
Accordingly, the Army Chief issued an operational instruction to the Eastern Army Commander, Lieutenant General JS Aurora on May 1, 1971. Goals were fixed as assisting the Provisional Government of Bangladesh in motivating the East Pakistani people to join the freedom movement. Secondly, the raising, training and equipping of East Pakistani volunteers for conducting guerrilla warfare inside their homeland with a view to tie down Pakistani troops, later through stepping up insurgency to damage their morale and limit their offensive capability by hitting at their logistic support. Lastly, to utilise the insurgent forces as auxiliaries to the Eastern Army on the outbreak of hostilities.
THE REBEL ARMY
To start with, Major General Onkar Singh Kalka – a hands-on, fighting commander – was appointed to coordinate the effort codenamed Operation Jackpot as director of operations. He set to work with the energy that he was well known for.
Using the manpower of five…
