Rijiju’s 1971 Letter Jab Counters Rahul Gandhi’s “Political Will” Charge

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has fired a sharp rebuttal at Congress Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who accused the Modi government of lacking “political will” during the recent Operation Sindoor against Pakistan. Rijiju shared a 1971 letter from former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to then-US President Richard Nixon, urging Pakistan to cease “wanton aggression” against India, to question the Congress party’s historical resolve in times of conflict.

The letter, dated December 5, 1971, was written amid the Indo-Pakistan War, which led to the creation of Bangladesh. In it, Indira Gandhi appealed to Nixon to influence Pakistan to halt its “aggressive activities” and address the “genesis of the problem of East Bengal,” which she said caused immense suffering across the subcontinent. “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?” Rijiju posted on X, linking to the US archives’ document.

Rijiju’s move came in response to a heated Lok Sabha debate on Tuesday, where Rahul Gandhi criticized the government’s handling of Operation Sindoor, a four-day military operation launched on May 7, 2025, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir following the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. Gandhi claimed the government restrained the armed forces, alleging that Indian aircraft losses during the operation resulted from a lack of political will. “You told our pilots and tied their hands behind their backs and told them to go,” Gandhi said, citing public statements by the Defence Minister.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi countered these claims, asserting that the armed forces were given “full freedom” to decide the timing, location, and execution of the operation. “We taught them (Pakistan) a tough lesson, and even today, they are getting sleepless nights,” Modi declared in Parliament. The operation ended on May 10 with a mutual cessation of hostilities, achieved through direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations of both nations, despite US President Donald Trump’s repeated claims of mediating the ceasefire.

Rijiju’s use of Indira Gandhi’s letter aims to flip the narrative, suggesting that Congress’ own history reflects reliance on foreign powers during crises, undermining their current accusations against the Modi government. The 1971 letter highlights India’s appeal for US intervention to curb Pakistan’s actions, a contrast to the current government’s stance of rejecting external mediation, as reiterated by Modi in a June 2025 phone call with Trump.

The Congress party has yet to respond to Rijiju’s counter, but the exchange has intensified the political slugfest over Operation Sindoor. Analysts note that the debate reflects deeper tensions over national security narratives, with the BJP framing itself as resolute and Congress portraying the government as hesitant. As India navigates diplomatic challenges, including Trump’s tariff threats, the controversy underscores the high stakes of blending historical references with contemporary political battles.

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