OPERATION EAGLE – WHOLE SERMON – The Rudi-Grant Connection

GLORIOUS QURAN SURAH VIII ‘SPOILS OF WAR, VERSE 61 : “And if they incline to peace, incline thou also to it, and trust in Allah. Lo! He is the Hearer, the Knower.”

” Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God “.( The Holy Bible,The Book of Matthew, Chapter 5, verse 9)

” (This is) a Scripture that We have revealed unto thee, full of blessing, that they may ponder its revelations, and that men of understanding may reflect “.(Holy Book of Quran, Surah XXXVIII, “SAD” verse 29)

SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE – ESTABLISHMENT NUMBER. 22 – OPERATION EAGLE – LIBERATION WAR OF BANGLADESH 1971:

Aquila_chrysaetos(Martin_Mecnarowski)- OPERATION EAGLE 1971 - A SERMON IN KAPTAI BANGLADESH — OPERATION EAGLE 1971 – A SERMON IN KAPTAI BANGLADESH

Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India had initiated Liberation of Bangladesh during 1971 with military action in Chittagong Hill Tracts. The battle plan of this military action is known as Operation Eagle. She had conceived this battle plan to bring peace in that region. She was inclined towards peace. She wanted to deliver peace to people of Bangladesh who had earlier declared their independence from Pakistan. During Operation Eagle 1971, I had served in South Column, an Infantry Unit Commanded by Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan. He was a great Islamic Scholar. He had explained to me that PEACE is the greeting of Righteous people.

OPERATION EAGLE 1971:The Regiment of Artillery - A Sermon in Kaptai, Bangladesh-A Gunner as an Infantry Commander. — OPERATION EAGLE 1971:The Flag of The Regiment of Artillery of Indian Army. This is a story about a Gunner, an Officer of The Regiment of Artillery who had commanded an Infantry Unit during India-Pakistan War of 1971 and had planned and executed Infantry Assaults on Enemy Posts to Liberate Bangladesh. His Unit was the first to receive the Gallantry Awards of Vir Chakra during the Liberation War of Bangladesh.

The Military Operation in Chittagong Hill Tracts during Indo-Pak War of 1971 aimed at restoring Peace and to help Bangla Muslims to live in Dignity. My Unit had captured Kaptai and this Dam was not targeted for inflicting any kind of damage. — OPERATION EAGLE 1971:The Military Operation in Chittagong Hill Tracts during India-Pakistan War of 1971 aimed at restoring Peace and to deliver Peace to Bangladesh Muslims to help them live in Dignity. My Unit had captured Kaptai and this Dam was not targeted for inflicting any kind of damage.

**OPERATION EAGLE 1971:My Unit never discussed any Battle Plan that required blowing up the Dam over Karnaphuli River at Kaptai.**

AN ISLAMIC SCHOLAR WHO SERVED IN OLIVE GREEN UNIFORM:

A personal tribute to Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan, the Regiment of Artillery

I was in college from 1962 to 1965 and had obtained an undergraduate degree in Bachelor of Science from Osmania University, Hyderabad. I remember this period as the Golden Age of immortal Mohd. Rafi whose melodies still fill my ears. I grew up in this cradle of Urdu language Culture and had acquired my love for ghazals and qawaalis. I had spent time in Lucknow, a crown jewel in the Urdu speaking world, where you meet in the market place, ordinary folks who speak in tones that have made the language famous for its sweetness. Much later, I had served in the Land Forces of The Sultanate of Oman and took my first lesson in Arabic language. My love for Urdu and my Knowledge of Arabic language pales when I write about this Scholar and language expert whom I had met in India during 1971. He passed away on Sunday May 2, 2004 in Bahrain where he had worked for over 20 years as the Head of the Translation Department at the Bahrain Archives. This is not a tribute about his academic accomplishments, the books that he had published, his military career or about his famous friendly relationship with President Gamal Abdel Nasser and President Anwar Sadat of Egypt. I am writing this tribute to recognize his personal qualities and the values that he had promoted. I am writing this tribute to recognize him as a “peacemaker”.He represents a symbol of hope and the light that he had shown may lead us on to a path of peaceful co-existence.

I met Lieutenant Colonel.B K Narayan; he hails from Karnataka, and he grew up as a Hindu, while he served in Indian Army in the Olive Green Uniform during the period of ” The Liberation War of Bangladesh ” in 1971. He had the unique distinction of commanding an Infantry Unit in the conduct of War while he had belonged to The Regiment of Artillery. I have not known a ‘GUNNER’ who could plan and execute Infantry Attacks on Enemy posts. Colonel Iqbal Singh, the Chief of Staff at the Force Headquarters also belonged to The Regiment of Artillery but the role played by Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan as an Infantry Commander during War is exceptional and has no comparisons that I am aware of. I had the opportunity to converse with him for extended periods of time and came to know his admirable personality. It is not the knowledge of Arabic language that has made him unique and sets him apart from all other language experts but he is special because of his love for Islamic Culture and his ability to project the deep understanding of that Culture when he spoke to others. He had performed the holy pilgrimage of hajj and had observed all the rituals of that spiritual journey like a true and devout Muslim. When he narrated his hajj experience, I could know the sense of joy and the purity of his intentions. His observance of hajj was genuine, real to its core.

Col Narayan was able to quote Quran from his memory and would convey his understanding of the verses with great clarity. I had personally witnessed his amazing performance in a little town called KAPTAI, on the banks of Karnaphuli Lake, Rangamati Division of Bangladesh. He had conducted the Friday Worship Service for the local Bangla Muslims and delivered a sermon which was received with great appreciation by the worshipers. His job in Uniform did not impose any obligation to organize such an event. he held that prayer meeting entirely on his own initiative and it was purely an expression of his love to worship in the Islamic tradition and it also affirms his faith that the worship of God is not limited by one single tradition. The Friday Worship Service was held at the State Guest House in Kaptai where I had stayed after my Unit had captured Kaptai. It had a large Conference Room. Col Narayan had contacted the Muslim Clerics of the local Masjid and they were absolutely delighted when they met him. His Scholarship and devotion to Islam had captivated them and they had immediately agreed to convene the local congregation at the Guest House and organize the Friday Worship Service. The Conference Hall got totally packed with worshipers. I could watch the proceedings directly from my room in the State Guest House. The Bangla Muslim Community of Kaptai were truly appreciative of Colonel Narayan and his military campaign for bringing Peace and Joy to their Community.

I knew Col Narayan’s great admiration for Arab people. He had always described them as peace-loving people. He knew this as a fact and it was based upon his understanding of Islamic Culture and traditions. I would describe Col B K Narayan as a God’s humble servant. It is important to remember and pay tribute to such “peacemakers” as we can achieve true peace through reflecting and understanding the revelations from the Holy Scriptures of all people. The Regiment of Artillery of Indian Army must record this historical contribution made by a Gunner officer who had served as an Infantry Commander during the Indo-Pak War of 1971.