NEW DELHI: After Congress’ all-out attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in Parliament yesterday over the Pahalgam terror attack and the events in its aftermath, the BJP has dug out a letter of former PM Indira Gandhi to “push back”, particularly after Leader of Opposition (LOP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s jibe of government “lacking political will”.
LOP Rahul Gandhi had yesterday questioned the government’s “political will” to strike at Pakistan during the four-day border confrontation and alleged that that it left the armed forces with their “hands tied behind their backs” during Operation Sindoor.
In a counter-attack, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has shared a 1971 letter from former PM Indira Gandhi calling on the then US president Richard Nixon to persuade Pakistan to desist from attacking India, questioning the “political will” of the her government.
“Please give four minutes to see this text of the letter of Smt. Indira Gandhi to President Nixon. Is this the political will of Smt Indira Gandhi ji?” asked Rijiju on X, sharing a link to Indira Gandhi’s letter in the US archives. The December 5, 1971, letter followed Pakistan’s declaration of war against India and sought to justify any action that may be taken to safeguard the country’s security and territorial integrity.
“In this hour of danger, the Government and the people of India seek your understanding and urge you to persuade Pakistan to desist forthwith from the policy of wanton aggression and military adventurism which it has unfortunately embarked upon,” wrote Indira Gandhi in her letter.
“May I request Your Excellency to exercise your undoubted influence with the Government of Pakistan to stop their aggressive activities against India and to deal immediately with the genesis of the problem of East Bengal, which has caused so much trial and tribulations to the people not only of Pakistan but of the entire sub-continent,” the letter further read.
During the special debate yesterday in Parliament, Rahul Gandhi raised the claims that India had lost some aircraft during the confrontation.
“That happened only because of the constraint by the government. Meaning, you told our pilots and tied their hands behind their backs and told them to go. The Defence Minister publicly said this in the House. The point is that aircraft were lost because of the constraint due to political will. You started the fight and then in the beginning, you said we don’t have the political will,” Rahul Gandhi said in his speech.