Congress invokes Indira Gandhi to slam PM for 'US mediation', BJP has a response
Shortly after US President Donald Trump made a surprise announcement of an India-Pakistan 'ceasefire,' Congress leaders swiftly invoked Indira Gandhi, drawing parallels between her leadership during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War and the ongoing India-Pakistan tensions.By highlighting her legacy of what the party describes as assertively upholding India's interests and resisting US pressure to halt military operations, the Congress sought to criticise the government's handling of the understanding reached with Pakistan and the perceived role of the United States in the process.advertisementThe BJP, however, hit back, alleging the creation of Bangladesh was a "historic opportunity lost" due to the failure of the political leadership at the time.
The Congress tweeted a photo of the former Prime Minister, captioning it, 'Indira Gandhi COURAGE | CONVICTION | STRENGTH.' What followed was a series of comments from the Congress leadership at various levels, invoking Gandhi.Congress veteran Jairam Ramesh shared Indira Gandhi's 1971 letter to then-US President Richard Nixon, which, according to the Congress, clearly and decisively conveyed India's stance on the global stage.'This is Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's historic letter to President Nixon of Dec 12, 1971. Four days later Pakistan surrendered. She ensured that there was no 'neutral site' which has now been agreed to,' he wrote.Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal, sharing a picture of Gandhi, remarked that the times when any nation, sitting 3,000 to 4,000 miles away, could dictate orders to India are long gone.advertisement'Being a developing country, we have our backbone straight, enough will and resources to fight all atrocities. Times have passed when any nation sitting 3-4 thousand miles away could give orders to Indians. India terribly misses Indira Gandhi ji today!,' Venugopal said.The Congress handles shared a speech by Indira Gandhi in the US, where she said, "I believe that it is not the task of any other country to say to another country what they should do. Even if it is a question of helping, it is my duty to point out the situation in my country.'There was a reason why Indira Gandhi was known as Iron Lady. pic.twitter.com/kTNTByKmZR— Congress Kerala (@INCKerala) May 10, 2025However, the BJP responded by alleging that Indira Gandhi mishandled the situation following India's historic 1971 victory over Pakistan, which led to the creation of Bangladesh.INDIRA GANDHI 'MISHANDLED' 1971 SITUATION: BJPAssam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed that the political leadership of that era squandered a "historic opportunity" during the creation of Bangladesh."India's 1971 military victory was decisive and historic. It broke Pakistan in two and gave birth to Bangladesh. But while our soldiers delivered a stunning battlefield success, India's political leadership failed to secure lasting strategic gains," he said.advertisementSarma further said that India's military triumph in 1971 was not 'matched by strategic foresight'.'What could have been a new regional order was reduced to a one-sided act of generosity. Had Mrs. Indira Gandhi been alive today, the nation would have questioned her for mishandling the decisive victory won by our armed forces. The creation of Bangladesh was not a bargain -- it was a historic opportunity lost," he stressed.
BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya dismissed the Congress's claims as a 'convenient narrative' and said the Shimla Agreement that followed the 1971 war was signed under pressure from Moscow and Washington."The 1971 war ended with the surrender of the Pakistan Army. However, the subsequent Simla Agreement was shaped under pressure from both Moscow and Washington, D.C. India released 99,000 prisoners of war without gaining a single strategic advantage—no insistence on Pakistan vacating PoJK or formalising the border, and no reparations for the war or the refugee influx forced on India. Indira Gandhi was Prime Minister at the time," he said.advertisementIndia and Pakistan agreed on Saturday to de-escalate tensions, which had soared between the two nations following the April 22 Pahalgam attack, India's retaliatory Operation Sindoor, and Pakistan's subsequent provocations with cross-border drone and missile attacks.While the US President claimed that the talks were mediated by the US, New Delhi maintained that the discussions were held directly between the Directors General of Military Operations of both countries.Tune InMust Watch
IN THIS STORY#Pakistan#India-Pakistan#Indian National Congress
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