'Guarantee 100% defeat'- Sam Manekshaw to Indira Gandhi when she pushed for war with Pakistan

In November 1998, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw delivered a lecture on leadership at the St Xavier's College, Bombay. During his speech, he said, 'Moral courage is essential.' While sharing some examples from his past experiences with the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, he said,'In 1970, when General Yahya Khan put all the pressure on East Pakistan as it was then and refugees started coming to India, there was a cabinet meeting on 28th of April. I was summoned. I had a very strong Prime Minister in Mrs Gandhi, who ranted and raved at me, said, what are you doing about it? I’ve got so many refugees. I said, if you want me to do this, Prime Minister, I guarantee you 100% defeat. Now, Prime Minister, give me your orders. If your father, in 1962, had me as his Commander-in-Chief, the country would not have been disgraced. The army would not have been beaten. But the Army Chief did not have moral courage of turning around and telling him he wasn’t ready. So, she said, all right, you know what I want? And I said, yes, I know what you want. And, I must be allowed to do it my own way. So there’s a very thin line between becoming a field marshal and being dismissed.'


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