Congress remembers Indira Gandhi's leadership amid Indo-Pak conflict

Asserting it is time to remember Indira Gandhi's leadership, the Congress on Sunday cited her action in 1971 that led to the formation of Bangladesh when she remained undeterred by the US action of sending a nuclear-powered naval task force in the Bay of Bengal.

Congress general secretaries Jairam Ramesh and Sachin Pilot cited the 1971 incident, claiming that she went ahead with the action in national interest despite being asked not to do anything in Bangladesh.

"Now is also the time to recall what happened in the second week of Dec 1971, which is well documented. The Nixon-Kissinger duo sent a nuclear-powered and nuclear-weapon capable US naval task force of its Seventh Fleet led by the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise into the Bay of Bengal. Indira Gandhi was undeterred. Pakistan surrendered on Dec 16th, 1971," Ramesh said on X.

Pilot told reporters at the party headquarters here that the United States had said they will deploy the seventh fleet to the Bay of Bengal.

"Despite that, the then government and Indira Ji went ahead and did what was in a supreme national interest. We remember them today and that leadership was such where national interest was foremost," he said.

The Congress also remembered the former prime minister on its social media handles, saying, "Today the nation misses the courageous leadership of Indira Gandhi".

The party also highlighted some past speeches of Indira Gandhi during the 1971 conflict with Pakistan.

"A symbol of unyielding strength and unwavering courage — Smt. Indira Gandhi," the Congress said in one of the posts.