New Delhi
16 April 2007
Rahul Gandhi's remark, that one of the achievements of the Gandhi
family was the breakup of Pakistan in 1971, has disturbed the strategic establishment.
Analysts and former diplomats have dismissed it as "very disappointing" and said that it
showed the Congress MP's "immaturity".
"His (Rahul's) remark is contrary to what his grandmother said," a former Indian high
commissioner to Islamabad, Mr G Parthasarathy, said, recalling the tenure of late prime
minister Indira Gandhi.
"Mrs Gandhi told the Soviets in Moscow that India was looking for a political settlement
between Yahya Khan and Sheikh Mujib for the return of refugees. When that did not
happen, matters escalated. A conflict broke out only after Pakistani forces attacked the
forward areas at Halwara, Pathankot, etc ... and that conflict led to the liberation of
Bangladesh ... the primary objective was political settlement," he said.
Mr Parthasarathy said that it remains to be seen how certain people in Pakistan respond.
"Certainly there has been a large section of military establishment seeking retribution
and revenge for 1971. With time, such voices have been less strident. It remains to be
seen how people holding this view ... respond. The Let (Lashkar-e-Tayyaba) talks of
revenge and disintegration of India," he said.
Another retired diplomat, who did not want to be quoted by name, said that the remark
deviated from the "official line of the Government of India" on the 1971 war and formation
of Bangladesh.
He said, "Pakistan broke up because of its own internal and inherent contradictions ...
India came into picture because of the refugees ... for him (Rahul) to get up and take
credit (for splitting up Pakistan)... there is no credit at all."
"It is a sign of immaturity," the retired diplomat said, "That only a Gandhi could do it and
no one else matters ... is laughable."
A veteran journalist and former Indian high commissioner to London, Mr Kuldip Nayar,
said that Mr Rahul Gandhi's comment was "very disappointing". He also felt that it was
"unfair to Bangladesh". "They (Bangladesh) fought the battle of independence ... so
many of them were killed. It is true India helped [them] but it was their battle and they
won it," Mr Nayar said. "He (Rahul) should not be talking about things he does not know.
If he is the future as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said about him in Uttar Pradesh,
then god save UP."
On Saturday Rahul Gandhi told an election meeting at Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, "You
know, when our (Gandhi) family commits itself to a task, it also completes it. We never
rest till we complete the task and we never retrace our steps. In the past too, members of
the Gandhi family have achieved the goals they have initiated, like the freedom of the
country, dividing Pakistan into two and leading the nation into the 21st century." He has
stirred a hornet's nest for the second time in recent weeks. Earlier in his campaign, he
said that a Gandhi in power would have stopped the demolition of the Babri Masjid at
Ayodhya.
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