NEW DELHI: India on Friday reaffirmed its help for Bangladesh’s pursuit of justice over the atrocities dedicated by Pakistan throughout the 1971 navy crackdown, saying Islamabad continues to disclaim its crimes.The remarks got here as Bangladesh marked March 25 as Genocide Day, remembering one of many darkest chapters in its historical past. On that day in 1971, Pakistan launched Operation Searchlight to crush the Bangladeshi nationalist motion.At his weekly media briefing, exterior affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “All of us are conscious of the horrible atrocities dedicated by Pakistan throughout ‘Operation Searchlight’ in 1971. The genocide concerned systematic and focused homicide of thousands and thousands of harmless Bangladeshi individuals and mass sexual crimes in opposition to ladies.”“It additionally compelled thousands and thousands to flee the nation and search shelter in India as refugees. These atrocities shook the conscience of the world. Pakistan nonetheless, stays in denial to this very day of its crimes,” he stated.Jaiswal stated India helps Bangladesh in its “need for justice”.New Delhi’s remarks got here three days after Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman described Operation Searchlight as “some of the heinous genocides in historical past” in opposition to unarmed Bangladeshi individuals.In a social media submit a day forward of Genocide Day, Rahman recalled the navy crackdown by Pakistani forces.“Within the historical past of freedom-loving Bangladesh, 25 March 1971 stays some of the disgraceful and brutal days. On that darkish evening, the Pakistani occupation forces carried out some of the heinous genocides in historical past in opposition to the unarmed individuals of Bangladesh within the title of ‘Operation Searchlight’,” he stated.Calling it a deliberate assault, Rahman stated the “genocide” of March 25 was a “pre-planned bloodbath”.India’s victory over Pakistan within the 1971 conflict, marked by the give up of over 90,000 Pakistani troopers on December 16, ended the violence and led to the beginning of Bangladesh as an impartial nation.