AgenciesNEW DELHI: : With public projection of archival film material of the 1971 war and seminar talks about its geopolitical impact, Congress is set to take the memory of creation of Bangladesh to the smallest unit of the national landscape in a bid to use the golden jubilee of the iconic war identified with Indira Gandhi to revive its stock among the people.
Sources said the party has readied the blueprint of the yearlong celebration programmes to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1971 war, overseen by an AICC committee headed by former defence minister A K Antony and comprising veterans like Punjab CM Amarinder Singh, former speaker Meira Kumar and convenor Pravin Davar. With the idea of ensuring a mass connect over the 1971 war, Congress will hold conventions in every district of the country.
The programmes would include seminars, lectures on the creation of Bangladesh and its importance in national security. At the same time the party will hold essay and quiz competitions to familiarise the younger generation with the seminal event. A social media blitzkrieg on the subject would form a major part of the exercise. Interestingly, Congress has decided that in states with higher concentration of ex-servicemen, it will hold conventions even at the block level — Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh.
For the party struggling to capture the national imagination after its eviction from power in 2014 and facing political onslaught of the ruling BJP, insiders thought of celebrating the 1971 war as a way of reviving its grassroots connect. The decision is an acknowledgement that BJP’s offensive against Congress, specially on nationalism, has worked and undermined the grand old party’s support among the masses.
The pitchforking of 1971 and mascot Indira Gandhi in the grassroots campaign is an attempt to retrieve the nationalism plank. The celebrations, to kickstart after the coming assembly elections, would wind up by September at the district and block level. It is in October that high-profile events in the form of state-level conventions would take place, and will culminate in a national meet in the capital on the Golden jubilee of the victory Day — December 16, 2021. Sources said former defence minister Antony has directed that ex-servicemen should be involved in the programmes in a big way.
Sources said the party has readied the blueprint of the yearlong celebration programmes to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1971 war, overseen by an AICC committee headed by former defence minister A K Antony and comprising veterans like Punjab CM Amarinder Singh, former speaker Meira Kumar and convenor Pravin Davar. With the idea of ensuring a mass connect over the 1971 war, Congress will hold conventions in every district of the country.
The programmes would include seminars, lectures on the creation of Bangladesh and its importance in national security. At the same time the party will hold essay and quiz competitions to familiarise the younger generation with the seminal event. A social media blitzkrieg on the subject would form a major part of the exercise. Interestingly, Congress has decided that in states with higher concentration of ex-servicemen, it will hold conventions even at the block level — Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh.
For the party struggling to capture the national imagination after its eviction from power in 2014 and facing political onslaught of the ruling BJP, insiders thought of celebrating the 1971 war as a way of reviving its grassroots connect. The decision is an acknowledgement that BJP’s offensive against Congress, specially on nationalism, has worked and undermined the grand old party’s support among the masses.
The pitchforking of 1971 and mascot Indira Gandhi in the grassroots campaign is an attempt to retrieve the nationalism plank. The celebrations, to kickstart after the coming assembly elections, would wind up by September at the district and block level. It is in October that high-profile events in the form of state-level conventions would take place, and will culminate in a national meet in the capital on the Golden jubilee of the victory Day — December 16, 2021. Sources said former defence minister Antony has directed that ex-servicemen should be involved in the programmes in a big way.
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5 Comments on this Story
 | Devidas34 minutes ago One swallow does not make a summer. The betrayals from 1947 by Nehru & Co of India's interests does not figure in public memory because the people have been denied compulsory free primary education for so long when the Constitution wanted it delivered in ten years. Why is this traitor not prosecuted? |
| M.L.GUPTA46 minutes ago After calling the Army Chief "a sadak ka goonda"? After licking the boots of the Pakistan Army Chief publicly? After ridiculing the armed forces for the surgical strike? You have no moral right to even invoke the name of Indira Gandhi. As a public leader, she is not a private property alone. Better keep quiet or she will become controversial for your follies. |
 | Arun 1 hour ago Why not also highlight what the scam party did in 1984 ? Calling indira khan a mascot is ridiculous - she was a dictator and a total fascist. pappu can project 1971 war but the party is history now. Clinging to past laurels makes no sense as it is a new India and people want results and development and not minority appeasement and dynast rule. |