New Delhi [India]: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Saturday reignited a historical controversy, accusing the Congress party of compromising national interests by ceding 828 square kilometers of the Rann of Kutch to Pakistan in 1968, despite India’s victory in the 1965 Indo-Pak war.
In a sharply worded post on X, Dubey criticized the Congress leadership under then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, claiming the decision to pursue international arbitration led to territorial loss. He alleged that the Congress government agreed to resolve the dispute through a UN-backed tribunal, where India was represented by Yugoslav diplomat Ales Bebler.
“After winning the 1965 war, the party gave away 828 sq km of Rann of Kutch in Gujarat to Pakistan in 1968… The entire Parliament opposed it, but Indira Gandhi was the Iron Lady; she auctioned our share out of fear. This is the truth of the Iron Lady. Congress’s hand is always with Pakistan,” Dubey wrote.
The 1968 decision followed a ruling by an international tribunal, which awarded 90% of the disputed territory to India and the remaining portion to Pakistan. Despite the favorable ruling, Dubey criticized the very act of internationalizing the issue, framing it as a historical misstep.
Congress Legacy Under Scrutiny
The remarks come amid intensified political discourse around national security, especially following India’s recent Operation Sindoor, a military campaign launched on May 7 in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The operation targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), resulting in the deaths of over 100 terrorists.
Dubey’s comments also addressed the Congress party’s recent efforts to invoke Indira Gandhi’s legacy, particularly with slogans such as “Indira Hona Aasan Nahi” and “India Misses Indira” displayed prominently at Congress offices. He called this attempt “hypocritical” in light of past decisions that, in his view, compromised national sovereignty.
Rahul Gandhi and 1991 Agreement in Crosshairs
Taking aim at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Dubey cited a 1991 bilateral agreement signed under a Congress-backed government, which committed India and Pakistan to mutual exchanges of military information, including on troop movements and potential attacks.
“Rahul Gandhi ji, this is an agreement made during the time of your government… Is this agreement treason?” Dubey asked rhetorically, in response to Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar over transparency on Indian Air Force losses during Operation Sindoor.
He further accused the Congress of catering to a “Pakistani vote bank,” questioning the appropriateness of their criticisms during a period of heightened national security concerns.
Background: Operation Sindoor and Aftermath
Operation Sindoor, launched in early May, marked a robust response to the Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 civilians. India struck multiple terror camps and military installations across the Line of Control, prompting Pakistani retaliation with cross-border shelling and drone incursions. India responded with airstrikes on 11 Pakistani airbases. A ceasefire was reached on May 10, bringing temporary calm to the border region.