'No Leader Caused As Much Damage As Indira Gandhi': Haryana Minister Hits Back At Congress

The remark came in response to Congress leaders who lauded Indira Gandhi's strong leadership during the 1971 war amid a ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan on May 10.

Haryana Minister Anil Vij talks to the media in Chandigarh.

Source : PTI

Haryana minister Anil Vij on Monday hit back at Congress for glorifying Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's strong leadership amid Operation Sindoor, saying "no leader has caused as much damage to the country as Indira Gandhi."

Referring to the 1971 war with Pakistan, Anil Vij said that the former PM didn't put a condition with Islamabad that if they give back Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK), then Delhi would return their prisoners of war.

"No leader has caused as much damage to this country as Indira Gandhi has. Look at the situation of the 1971 war, we had 93 thousand prisoners of war and our army had also captured 13-14 thousand acres of land," Vij told news agency ANI.

"At that time, if you had put a condition that if you give us Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK), then we will return your prisoners of war, then we would have got PoK. The reason for the conflict would have ended, PoK is ours. Because this was also included in the merger letter signed by Maharaja Hari Singh," he added.

#WATCH | Chandigarh | Haryana minister Anil Vij says, "No leader has caused as much damage to this country as Indira Gandhi has. Look at the situation of the 1971 war, we had 93 thousand prisoners of war and our army had also captured 13-14 thousand acres of land. At that time,… pic.twitter.com/Ihmf614ByK

— ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2025

The remark came in response to Congress leaders who lauded Indira Gandhi's strong leadership during the 1971 war amid a ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan on May 10.

US President Donald Trump took credit for acting as a mediator between the two countries. Anil Vij said Indira Gandhi did a lot of damage to the country by returning the prisoners of war without any conditions after the 1971 war.

The Congress cited Indira's 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. The party quoted her remarks to then-US president Richard Nixon, telling him that the time had passed when any nation sitting thousands of miles away could give orders to Indians on the basis of colour superiority to do as they wished.

जब इंदिरा गांधी जी ने बदल दिया दुनिया का नक्शा pic.twitter.com/v6C3ui2WKo

— Congress (@INCIndia) May 11, 2025

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh in a post on X said: "This is prime minister Indira Gandhi's historic letter to president Nixon of December 12, 1971. Four days later Pakistan surrendered. She ensured that there was no 'neutral site' which has now been agreed to."

Congress general secretary in-charge organisation KC Venugopal also quoted Indira Gandhi in a post on X.

"Being a developing country, we have our backbone straight, enough will and resources to fight all atrocities. Times have passed when any nation sitting 3-4 thousand miles away could give orders to Indians," he said, quoting her remarks to Nixon. India terribly misses Indira Gandhi ji today.