Congress Govt Carried Out Air Strike In Mizoram, PM Modi Says In LS. What Happened In 1966?
PM Modi mentioned the 1966 Aizawl Bombing in his Lok Sabha address. Know about the first and only air raid carried out by IAF on civilian territory within the country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hit out at the Congress party over its governance record in the Northeast during a discussion on the no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha. He cited instances of violence under the Congress rule, including the example of Mizoram where the Indian Air Force (IAF) held an air raid, its first and only on civilian territory within the country, in 1966. Then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi used the IAF against the separatist Mizo National Front (MNF) in response to Operation Jericho.
In his Lok Sabha speech, PM Modi said: "On 5th March 1966, Congress had its Air Force attack the helpless citizens in Mizoram. Congress should answer if it was the Air Force of any other country. Were the people of Mizoram not the citizens of my country? Was their security not the responsibility of the Government of India?"
#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks on the northeast; says, "...On 5th March 1966, Congress had its Air Force attack the helpless citizens in Mizoram. Congress should answer if it was the Air Force of any other country. Were the people of Mizoram not the citizens of my… pic.twitter.com/FmNozAooxF
— ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2023
"Till today, Mizoram mourns the day of 5th March. They never tried to tend to those wounds. The Congress hid this truth from the country. Who was ruling then? Indira Gandhi," he added.
MNF Floated In Mizo Hills In 1961
During the 1960s, the Mizo Hills were a part of Assam. A relief organisation called the Mizo National Famine Front was formed in 1960 after the outbreak of the Mautam famine in the Mizo Hills District in 1959. The MNFF volunteers under the leadership of Laldenga, Lalnunmawia, Sainghaka, and Vanlalhruaia received appreciation and credits for supplying food items to remote villages. After the famine ended in 1961, Laldenga dropped the word ‘famine’ from the organisation's name and floated a political outfit called the ‘Mizo National Front’ (MNF).
Early on, the MNF leadership differed in its objective as its leader Thangliana Sailo suggested statehood for Mizoram while others pressed for a policy of independence. Later, they agreed on the demand for a separate nation-state which also focused on the integration of all the areas inhabited by the Mizos, and a ‘Greater Mizoram’ movement was born.
MNF founder Laldenga became a key figure who caught the imagination of the masses, while the party's volunteers throughout Mizoram and Mizo-occupied areas of Manipur and Burma preached their campaign for Greater Mizoram.
While the outfit adopted non-violent means initially, it took up arms after internal pressure and also due to alleged human rights violations in the area, as per media reports from the time.
MNF's Operation Jericho
MNF rebels launched Operation Jericho on February 28, 1966, to remove Indian forces from Mizoram. Reports say the rebels launched simultaneous attacks on Assam Rifles garrisons in Aizawl and Lunglei.
According to an essay, 'Socio-economic impact of Mizoram insurgency', published by a Mizoram government-run college Government Aizawl North College, the road to Aizawl subdivision town was cut off at Vairengte, which was the first village in the Mizo Hills in Assam at that time. Culverts were exploded while huge trees were cut off and placed on the road.
The next day, on March 1, 1966, the MNF declared independence for Mizoram, and a 12-point declaration was signed by Laldenga along with sixty other people. On March 2, the Assam government declared the district as a disturbed area and the Indian Army was tasked to deal with the situation.
The people living in Aizawl began deserting it on the morning of March 4, 1966, the essay mentions.
It is said MNF rebels were very quick to seize key installations, including the government treasury in Aizawl and a couple of Army installations.
Aizawl Air Raids & Bombings In 1966
However, the MNF was also shocked by what followed as the Indira Gandhi-led government sent four fighter jets of the Indian Air Force to counter the insurgency. As per the report, French-built Dassault Ouragan fighters (nicknamed Toofanis) as well as British Hunters were deployed to conduct air raids and bomb Aizawl.
The planes took off from Assam's Tezpur, Kumbigram, and Jorhat and flew over Aizawl where they first used machine guns to fire at the town on March 5, 1966. Incendiary bombs were dropped as air raids intensified the next day.
“Our little town was suddenly encircled by four screaming jet fighters,” Thangsanga, a veteran member of the Mizo National Front told The Scroll. “Suddenly, bullets rained and bombs were dropped. Burning buildings collapsed and there was dust and chaos everywhere. They hit the heart of Mizoram, but not the Mizo spirit,” he was quoted as saying.
“It took us by surprise that the government had the courage to deploy jet fighters to bomb Aizawl that it dared not fly inside China or Pakistan,” the report mentioned Remruata, a village council member, as saying.
The strafing continued till March 13 and in this period, panicked civilians fled to the hills. Meanwhile, MNF rebels retreated and fled into the jungles of Myanmar and East Pakistan which is present-day Bangladesh.
13 civilians were reportedly killed in this operation. Four key areas of Azawal — Republic Veng, Hmeichche Veng, Dawrpui Veng, and Chhinga Veng — were completely destroyed.
In contrast to this Operation, the IAF did not carry out any strategic missions in the 1962 Indo-China war and was largely out of offensive operations in this conflict.
1966 Aizawl Bombing: What Led To Air Raids
As previously mentioned, the road to the Aizawl subdivision town was cut off at Vairengte. The insurgents swiftly managed to capture important installations including the government treasury and the Army installations. According to the aforementioned essay, around 1,000 armed MNF insurgents had attacked the Assam Rifles posts at Lunglei, and at midnight between February 28 and March 1, 1966, the government treasury in Aizawl was attacked and insurgents seized cash, rifles, and ammunition.
Only the first Assam Rifles headquarters held out amid repeated attacks but was at risk.
The location of the town also posed a signification challenge being a remote place with difficult terrain as Lushai Hills also came under rebel control.
According to a report by The Economic Times, the Army attempted to send troops and weapons by helicopter but was driven away by MNA snipers.
1966 Aizawl Bombing: 'Hiding The Truth'
The air raid continues to remain a contentious move on the part of the Indian government as it may have achieved the objective of quelling the MNF rebellion but could not prevent a longer insurgency.
Notably, PM Modi's remark that the Congress "hid the truth" about the Operation from the country came as reports say then PM Indira Gandhi denied that such air bombings were carried out.
The Scribe cited a report dated March 9, 1966, by Kolkata-based Hindustan Standard as stating that Indira Gandhi claimed the fighter jets had been sent to airdrop men and supplies, not bombs.
The Aizawl Bombing along with the regrouping of villages have continued to be debated for their contentious nature. The role they played in diminishing the Mizo community's trust in India as well as fuelling insurgency for decades continues to be debated.
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