Anurag Thakur Questions Indira Gandhi’s 1971 War Role, Calls Her Letter to Nixon an Act of Appeasement

New Delhi/Shimla, July 30, 2025:
BJP MP from Hamirpur and former Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur stirred political debate during a discussion in Parliament by questioning the legacy of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the 1971 war. Thakur claimed that while the Indian Army made the ultimate sacrifice in the war, the title of “Iron Lady” was unfairly conferred upon Indira Gandhi.

He cited a letter written by Indira Gandhi to then US President Richard Nixon, questioning why she “pleaded like a petitioner” despite Nixon’s known pro-Pakistan stance. Thakur alleged that the tone of the letter reflected a lack of faith in the Indian Army and exposed Congress’s dependence on foreign powers.

Calling the letter “humiliating,” he said it confirmed Indira Gandhi’s reluctance to face war and Congress’s diplomatic weakness. He further added that the victory was earned by the soldiers on the battlefield but lost diplomatically by the Congress at the negotiation table. Thakur also took a jab at the Opposition’s recent remarks on Operation Sindoor, stating that “50% of zero is still zero.”

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