Guwahati, May 27: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has criticized the government of the time for not utilizing the momentum after the 1971 war to address complex problems in eastern and northern India. Sarma believes that the then-central government, led by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, missed an opportunity to stabilize regions like the Northeast, which have since struggled with insurgency and border disputes.

“The government of that time had a unique opportunity to address complex problems in eastern and northern India following the war. Unfortunately, this opportunity was not used properly,” Sarma said. He argued that the 1971 war, which led to the creation of Bangladesh, was a significant military victory, but the government failed to leverage the momentum to resolve long-standing issues in the region.

Meanwhile, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has sparked a debate by sharing a purportedly declassified 1971 US intelligence cable. The cable suggests that Indira Gandhi’s decision to accept a UN ceasefire proposal during the Bangladesh Liberation War may have been influenced by US pressure, despite opposition from then-Defence Minister Jagjivan Ram and Army Chief Sam Manekshaw. Dubey questioned whether India’s priority was to create Bangladesh or reclaim Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and secure key assets like the Kartarpur Gurdwara.