Rahul Gandhi attacks BJP at event celebrating India's 1971 war victory over Pakistan

At an event commemorating the 50th anniversary of India's victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war that liberated Bangladesh, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday, December 16, made a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) saying that "times have changed."

Addressing a rally in Uttarakhand's Dehradun, Gandhi said that during the war, India stood as 'one' unlike now when India is 'divided' under the BJP. The Congress leader made the remarks after praising the Indian Army for their glorious 1971 victory that he said was possible because 'India was one'.

"Pakistan bowed its head within 13 days in the 1971 war. Generally, a war is fought for 6 months, 1-2 years. America took 20 years to defeat Afghanistan. All India took was 13 days to defeat Pakistan," Rahul Gandhi said. 

'Times have changed'

Underlining how the victory was made possible in such a short span, Gandhi said, "On one side, there was India standing together. Some say that it was because of the Army that we won the war against Pakistan, some credit the Navy and Airforce, but I would like to say that each and every Indian contributed together."  

The Congress leader then went on to say that "times have changed" and there is a lot of difference between the country under the BJP and the one that was under the Congress.

"Under Congress, there was a strong relationship between the Government, the forces and the people. Unlike now," Gandhi said. 

BJP 'will never understand your pain'

Talking about the celebration organised to mark the 50th anniversary of India's victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war, Rahul Gandhi, said, "There was no mention of Indira Gandhi in that function. The woman who took 32 bullets for this country, her name was not there in the invitation because this govt is afraid of the truth." 

The Congress leader concluded that the BJP did not care about martyrs like the Congress. "They will never understand your pain," he said. 

Celebrations marking 50 years of India's victory over Pakistan under the name 'Swarnim Vijay Diwas' kicked off last year after Prime Minister Narendra Modi lit the four victory flames at the National War Memorial in New Delhi.  The flames further commenced their journey from the Eternal Flame to four cardinal directions across the country, visiting the native places of war heroes, battlefields, before finally arriving at the war memorial on Thursday.