The Congress has reacted strongly to the failure of the central government in mentioning the name and contribution of former PM Indira Gandhi during the celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of India’s historic victory over Pakistan in 1971. An opinion piece by Bharat Hiteshi
On December 16, 2021, President Ram Nath Kovind, in Bangladesh on an official visit, and Vice President Venkaiah Naidu also wished the people on the occasion of 50th Vijay Diwas. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accompanied by Union defence minister Rajnath Singh, participated in the celebrations of the 50th Vijay Diwas. “On this special day of Vijay Diwas, I had the honour of paying my respects at the National War Memorial and merging into the Eternal Flame, the four Vijay Mashaals which traversed across the length and breadth of the country over the course of last one year,” Modi tweeted.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh hailed the war as a “golden chapter in India’s military history” and remembered the sacrifice of the armed forces. “On the occasion of ‘Swarnim Vijay Diwas’ we remember the courage and sacrifice of our armed forces during the 1971 war. The 1971 war is the golden chapter in India’s military history. We are proud of our armed forces and their achievements,” he tweeted, sharing a few images of the war. Singh issued a commemorative stamp on the occasion. However, none of the messages mentioned Indira Gandhi’s name.
There is no doubt that victory in the 1971 war was undoubtedly the crowning glory of the Indian military, but it was also a victory on the diplomatic fronts. Indira Gandhi herself drew international attention to the human rights violations in Bangladesh. The Indo-Soviet Treaty of Peace came as huge help in the face of American and Chinese support to Pakistan. The country also gave shelter to millions of refugees from Bangladesh who sought refuge in India to escape from the onslaught unleashed by the Pakistan forces.
At the golden jubilee celebrations, the government should have the magnanimity to remember all those who played stellar roles that led to unconditional surrender by the Pakistan military. Addressing the closing ceremony of celebrations of Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said that late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who played a pivotal role in the war, would have wanted the party to celebrate “not in a boastful spirit or in a spirit of self-glorification, but in a spirit of reflection and resolve”, an apparent jibe at the Centre. She described 1971 as Indira’s “finest year” and urged the party to reaffirm “our steadfast commitment to the values she cherished, and the causes she fought for – and ultimately sacrificed her life for.” Gandhi lauded the armed forces, the people of Bangladesh and said, “It was this extraordinary convergence of a well-planned and perfectly-executed political, diplomatic and military strategy that gave 1971- a distinctive place in the history of the sub-continent. It was a history that reshaped geography as well.”
