NCP-SP legislators recall Indira Gandhi's firm stand opposing US intervention in 1971 India-Pak war

Mumbai, May 12 (IANS) The Sharad Pawar-led NCP-SP legislators, Jitendra Awhad and Rohit Pawar, in their separate X posts on Monday hailed former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's role in the 1971 war, asking the US not to intervene between the affairs of India and Pakistan.

Both have thereby questioned the US President Donald Trump's unilateral announcement of ceasefire between India and Pakistan and praised former PM Indira Gandhi for not succumbing to the US pressure.

Awhad, who is the NCP-SP Legislature Party leader, uploaded the video of former PM Indira Gandhi's press conference in the US asking the latter to stay out of India's business and the East Pakistan Refugee Crisis (1971).

"Indira Gandhi, one who told the US that we will decide the policy of our country, don't mess with us unnecessarily. Also the one who divided Pakistan into two," he said in his X post.

On the other hand, NCP-SP legislator Rohit Pawar in his post on X in detail narrated the role played by former PM Indira Gandhi in the 1971 war while strongly opposing the attempts by the US to intervene.

"This is the incident that happened during the 1971 war when the then Prime Minister, the late Indira Gandhi, divided Pakistan into two parts and gave birth to a new country called Bangladesh on the world map," Rohit Pawar said.

"In 1971, the independence movement was in full swing in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). The Awami League led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman won a majority in the Pakistani elections, but the ruling class of West Pakistan refused to hand over power. This led to increased violence and atrocities in East Pakistan, and about one crore refugees came to India. The then US President Richard Nixon sent his Seventh Fleet to the Bay of Bengal to support Pakistan. This was an attempt to put pressure on India so that the US would not intervene in the war. But the then Prime Minister, the late Indira Gandhi, took a strong stand without giving in to this pressure and clearly told US National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger that if America did not stop Pakistan, India would have to take action. She gave full freedom to Army Chief Sam Manekshaw and prepared for war. On December 3, 1971, Pakistan launched air strikes on India, and India declared war in response. In just 13 days, the Indian Army achieved a decisive victory in East Pakistan, and on December 16, 1971, about 93,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered," he added.

"Indira Gandhi declared a ceasefire only after Pakistan was divided into two and Bangladesh became independent. Because she was Indira Gandhi... Iron Lady..!"

Rohit Pawar also said, "Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Leader of the Opposition at that time, also respectfully referred to her as 'Durga'. That is why the courage, self-respect, patriotism and leadership qualities of this strong leader Indira Gandhi are still remembered today. Great leaders of the then ruling party and great leaders of the then Opposition party who respected each other, acknowledged each other's greatness, and had a heart of compassion and patriotism, and did not bow down to any superpower!"

--IANS

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