‘Not easy to be Indira’: Congress
Soon after ceasefire was announced between India and Pakistan following days of heightened tensions between the two neighbouring countries, the Congress on Saturday invoked former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, saying it is “not easy to be Indira”.
The grand-old-party’s workers and leaders also flooded their social media walls with old videos and photos of their leader Indira Gandhi. MP and Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh while reviving the memories of his party leader said, “This is Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s historic letter to President Nixon of Dec 12, 1971. Four days later Pakistan surrendered.”
He added, “She ensured that there was no ‘neutral site’ which has now been agreed to.” Ramesh also shared Indira Gandhi’s letter to then President Richard Nixon in 1971.
In 1971, when Indira Gandhi was the PM, Pakistan was divided into two countries and Bangladesh was created. Indira Gandhi is known as the architect of this historical event. In a meeting with then US National Advisor Henry Kissinger, Indira Gandhi is said to have firmly told him that if America did not stop Pakistan, India would have to take action. Pakistan at that time had been maintaining that the issue of East Pakistan was an internal matter of the country.
The party’s national general secretary KC Venugopal also revived the memory of her leader stating, “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.” Venugopal added, “India terribly misses Indira Gandhi today!”
Congress leader Pawan Khera, who is also chairman of the party’s publicity department, said, “India misses Indira”. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate also tweeted stating, “It is not easy to be Indira.”
Following the heightened tensions of over two weeks between India and Pakistan, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in a press conference informed about the agreed ceasefire between the two countries. India had launched “Operation Sindoor” to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack which left 26 people dead on April 22. Nearly two weeks after the incident, India launched its “Operation Sindoor” with the government saying nine terror targets were hit inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on May 7.
