New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday said former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi stood up to the US pressure and went ahead with a military operation that led to the creation of Bangladesh and division of Pakistan in 1971.
The grand old party recalled the former Prime Minister’s leadership amidst the ongoing face-off between India and Pakistan even as its leaders said they were surprised over mediation of US President Donald Trump in the recent conflict between the two countries.
The Congress leaders were surprised because the liberation of Bangladesh till then known as East Pakistan, the surrender of 90,000 pakistani soldiers before the Indian Army and the subsequent Shimla Agreement between Indira Gandhi and her Pakistani counterpart Zulfikar Ali Bhutto stipulating no third-party mediation in bilateral relations, were all linked closely.
However, Trump announcing the ceasefire between India and Pakistan on May 10 even before the two nations went public with it, marked a break in the diplomatic tradition.
“We all remember Indira Gandhi who was called the ‘iron lady’ today. In 1971 she had famously told the US that no other country could tell India what it must do. She made the comment on US soil, looked them in the eye, defied their diktat and did what was right for India and our national interest. The US had then threatened India that it would send its seventh fleet if New Delhi did not obey their diktat but she stood-up to their pressure. In the process, she also split Pakistan into two forever,” senior Congress leader and former deputy chief minister of Chhattisgarh TS Singh Deo told ETV Bharat.
He said, “The Modi government must answer some serious questions. The Congress has objected to the statements of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on a neutral site to host India-Pakistan talks. Does that mean that we have abandoned the Shimla Agreement and are willing to accept the mediation of a third party in bilateral matters. We must also ask if a dialogue between India and Pakistan is being resumed. If yes, then what are the guarantees we have sought and what assurances have we got?”
The Congress veteran further noted that, “We must also take note of the observations made by two former army chiefs regarding the gains from the US mediated ceasefire. It is natural that the nation recalls the courage and leadership shown by former prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1971 which still inspires the people.”
AICC secretary in charge of Maharashtra BM Sandeep shared similar sentiments. “The then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi wrote to the US President Richard Nixon on December 15, 1971 stating being a developing country, we have our backbone straight, enough will and resources to fight atrocities. It has been some time when any nation three or four thousand miles away could give orders to Indians on the basis of colour superiority to do as they wished. On December 16, 1971 Pakistan surrendered. That was courage, that was standing up for India and that was not compromising the nation’s pride. We all are missing Indira Gandhi today,” Sandeep told ETV Bharat.
He said, “Indira Gandhi meant courage, conviction and strength. The US had also put pressure on Indira Gandhi and threatened and warned that if India stepped up, it will have to face the consequences. But Gandhi did not stop and neither bowed nor became afraid. She showed the whole world that protecting India’s borders and respect was above any international interest. The result was that she created Bangladesh while dividing Pakistan into two. Today, leaders who are kneeling down under American pressure should remember Indira Gandhi’s courage. There is never compromise on national interest,” he said.
The Congress leaders said they had fully supported the Modi government’s Operation Sindoor in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack sponsored by Pakistan and had even urged the Centre to take back Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir as stated by several ruling party leaders over the past months but they still needed clarity on the details of the US brokered ceasefire.
“That is the reason our leadership has urged the government to convene an all-party meeting and a special session of Parliament so that the issue can be discussed and the nation gets to know the truth. We understand that the Operation Sindoor is still on after the ceasefire announcement as Pakistan violated the agreement. This means the issue needs to be further clarified. Whatever be the case, we have full faith in our armed forces who have not violated any norms and attacked only terror camps operating from Pakistani soil and not the civilians. We are confident they will give a befitting reply to any aggression shown by Pakistan but what is the guarantee that similar terror attacks will not take place in the future,” AICC secretary in charge of Madhya Pradesh Chandan Yadav told ETV Bharat.