The Congress on Thursday slammed the Narendra Modi Government for ‘leaving’ out former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi from official Vijay Diwas celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, with party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra terming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as ‘misogynist’.
December 16 is celebrated as ‘Vijay Diwas’ to commemorate India’s victory over Pakistan and the creation of Bangladesh as a separate nation.
Taking to twitter, Ms. Vadra said, “Our first and only woman Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, is being left out of the misogynist BJP Government’s Vijay Diwas celebrations. This, on the 50th anniversary of the day that she led India to victory and liberated Bangladesh.”
“@narendramodi ji, women don’t believe your platitudes. Your patronising attitude is unacceptable. It’s about time you started giving women their due,” she said.
Ms. Vadra also shared pictures of Indira Gandhi’s photos with founding father of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, congratulating Field Marshal Sam Maneckshaw and the other service chiefs post India’s victory.
Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, at a press conference with party deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, said Bangladesh acknowledges the role played by Indira Gandhi but the Modi Government was to “leave out her contributions”.
“The Government celebrates Vijay Diwas and gives speeches but they should also tell the people which leader and Government achieved this feat of liberating Bangladesh. Our then Government had taken 95,000 Pakistani soldiers as prisoners of war (PoW), kept them in jails, fed them for a year and then released. It is, perhaps, one of a kind example where so many PoWs were taken in to ensure freedom,” Mr. Kharge said.
He also recalled that former Prime Minister and BJP stalwart, late Atal Behari Vajpayee, had referred to Indira Gandhi as “Goddess Durga” to define the victory.
“Our Prime Minister is so weak and insecure that he cannot even take the name of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhiji, can’t even acknowledge the role the Congress party had played. This is nothing but an attempt to ‘whitewash’ history,” Mr. Gogoi said.
In a separate tweet, Rahul Gandhi said, “Remembering the martyrs and veterans of the 1971 war. India won the war to save the idea of democracy under the able leadership of former PM Smt. Indira Gandhiji. Jai Hind! #VijayDiwas2021”
