NEW DELHI: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday claimed in the Lok Sabha that a photograph of Pakistan surrendering before the Indian Army in Dhaka, had been removed from the Army headquarters.
Raising the issue during the Zero Hour, Priyanka said the picture had been removed on Monday, which also happens to be Vijay Diwas.
Exerting that the removal of the iconic picture was an insult to the memory of Field Marshal Manekshaw, General Arora and Brigadier KS Chandpuri, Vadra sought its immediate restoration at the original place.
The Wayanad MP remembered the role of soldiers and martyrs who fought the war of 1971 between India and Pakistan. The war also resulted in the liberation of Bangladesh. Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Priyanka said she wanted to speak on the Vijay Diwas, but was not allowed to complete her statement.
She further asked the Union government to ensure the safety and security of the minorities in Bangladesh.
The Wayanad MP said she wanted to tell how the Indira Gandhi government had led the country during the Bangladesh war. She said it was a war of principles then.
She observed that a similar situation had emerged in Bangladesh today, where minorities like the Hindus and the Christians were being targeted. She said she wanted to tell the government to ensure their safety and speak with the Bangladesh government on the matter.
Priyanka’s attire, showing solidarity with war-torn Palestine, also caused a political row. She carried a bag to Parliament that had ‘Palestine’ and watermelon (symbol of the country’s resistance) emblazoned on it. She also wore a black and white saree, symbolising ‘keffiyeh’, the scarf worn as a Palestinian national symbol. The MP has long been raising her voice against Israel’s actions in Gaza.