Why PM Modi Reminded Congress of Mizoram Bombings? All About IAF's First Attack Within India | Explained

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hit out at the Congress party while speaking before the no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha and reminded the Grand Old Party of its poor governance record in the Northeast.

PM Modi recalled the bombing in 1966 where the Indian Air Force was used to attack people in Mizoram for the first time in the country’s history. Modi accused Congress of being the root of the problems in Northeast India for decades.

What PM Modi said on Mizoram?

PM Modi said that during the 1966 Mizoram bombing, the Congress government attacked innocent civilians in the state through the Indian Air Force.

“On March 5, 1966, innocent civilians were attacked by the Indian Air Force. Imagine getting our own air force to attack our fellow citizens. Was their security not the responsibility of the government of India? Who was in power at the time?” Modi questioned.

“The people from the Congress should answer whether the Air Force was from a different country. Were the people of Mizoram not the citizens of my country,” the prime minister said.

He added that even today the people of Mizoram observe mourning on March 5. The Mizoram incident was the first and last episode in the history of independent India when the Indian Air Force was used to bomb inside the country.

What happened on March 5, 1966?

For the last 57 years, the people in Mizoram have observed March 5 as the ‘Zoram Ni’ or Zoram Day to mark the anniversary of the infamous aerial bombing of Aizwal by the Indian Air Force (IAF).

On March 5, the then central government, headed by Indira Gandhi, launched airstrikes to quell the Mizo rebellion which continued for a week. These airstrikes have devastated several towns in the Mizo-dominated Lushai Hills region including present day capital Aizawl.

The airstrikes have devastated several towns in the Mizo-dominated region known as the Lushai Hills, including Aizawl.

The day ‘Zoram Ni’ is observed throughout the day to commemorate the sufferings endured by the Mizo people due to the attack on people by the IAF. This year too it was observed in Aizawl and across Mizoram.

However, the dark chapter of Indira Gandhi’s rule has been kept hidden from the people of the country for a long time. March 5, 1966 became the day when the centre government at that time pushed Mizoram more firmly on the path of separatism.

Mizo National Army’s Revolt

The Mizo National Front (MNF), which was then an insurgent outfit then, had declared independence from India in on March 1, 1966. A month back, the Mizo National Army under separatist Mizo National Front revolted against India in February 1966 and a fighting broke out in Mizoram, which was part of Assam during that time.

In March, the group took control of the Aizwal armoury in control of Assam Rifles’ command centre. The separatists attacked the Assam Rifles battalion headquarters at Aizawl and an Assam Rifles patrol party was ambushed near Aizawl on March 3, which led to five casualties in the paramilitary force.

The military tried to transport troops by helicopter, but the Mizo National Army’s snipers chased them off. Then in March, the air force launched a machine gun fire and the attacks intensified when bombs were dropped.

According to reports, the problem in Mizoram started during the time of Jawaharlal Nehru as the central government at that time neglected Assam and the Northeast.

The famine in Assam in 1959 further created problems. Neither the central government led by Nehru nor the Assam government paid any attention to the problem and as a result the crops were destroyed in the Lushai Hills area and hundreds of people lost their lives.

The airstrikes carried out by the government further fuelled the fire of separatism among the Mizos not only led to violence and terrorism for the next five decades but the violence led to Mizoram attaining separate statehood in 1987.

Pakistan and China Interference

In the 1960s when the separatism was increasing among the Mizos, China attacked the North-East Frontier Agency in 1962 (NEFA included Assam and Arunachal) which led to a full-fledge war between India and China. Though, China unilaterally withdrew from Indian territories, but India lost significant territory which was captured by China in Aksai Chin.

Meanwhile, Pakistan allowed Laldenga who was leading separatism among the Mizo people through Mizo National Front to operate camps in East Pakistan (presently Bangladesh). With the support of Pakistan, Laldenga dreamt of bringing the Mizo dominated areas into existence as an independent country and planned an armed rebellion.

Laldenga dreamt of rebelling against India and creating Mizoram as an independent country; and named his operation as Operation Jericho. He launched the operation on March 1, 1966 and Aizawl was surrounded by Mizo rebels from all sides. In retaliation to the operation, Indira Gandhi ordered the aerial operation on March 5.