Image Source: Agencies

July 30, 2025: The BJP has dug out a letter from former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to "push back," particularly in light of Leader of Opposition (LOP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi's jibe that the government "lacking political will" after Congress launched an all-out attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government in Parliament yesterday over the Pahalgam terror attack and the events that followed. LOP Rahul Gandhi had yesterday questioned the government's "political will" to strike at Pakistan during the four-day border confrontation and alleged that that it left the armed forces with their "hands tied behind their backs" during Operation Sindoor.
In a counter-attack, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has shared a 1971 letter from former PM Indira Gandhi calling on the then US president Richard Nixon to persuade Pakistan to desist from attacking India, questioning the "political will" of the her government.
"Please give four minutes to see this text of the letter of Smt. To President Nixon, Indira Gandhi. Is this Smt. Indira Gandhi ji's political will?" asked Rijiju on X, pointing to a link to an archived letter from Indira Gandhi. Following Pakistan's declaration of war against India on December 5, 1971, the letter sought to justify any measures taken to maintain the country's security and territorial integrity. Indira Gandhi wrote in her letter, "In this hour of danger, the Government and the people of India seek your understanding and urge you to persuade Pakistan to desist forthwith from the policy of wanton aggression and military adventurism which it has unfortunately embarked upon." "May I request Your Excellency to exercise your undoubted influence with the Government of Pakistan to stop their aggressive activities against India and to deal immediately with the genesis of the problem of East Bengal, which has caused so much trial and tribulations to the people not only of Pakistan but of the entire sub-continent," the letter further read.
Rahul Gandhi made the claim that India had lost some aircraft during the conflict during the special debate yesterday in Parliament. "The only reason that occurred was the government's restriction. Meaning, you told our pilots and tied their hands behind their backs and told them to go. The Defence Minister publicly said this in the House. The point is that aircraft were lost because of the constraint due to political will. In his speech, Rahul Gandhi stated, "You started the fight and then at the beginning, you said we don't have the political will."