Was there a secret agreement between Indira Gandhi and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman? BJP MP’s allegation – Congress had given free hand to Bangladeshis

News India Live, Digital Desk: During the discussion on the President’s address in the Lok Sabha, the BJP MP made a scathing attack on the Congress. He claimed that after the 1971 war, there was an agreement between Indira Gandhi and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman which was never made public. Under this agreement, it was said that infiltration for vote bank politics would allegedly be ignored.

1. 3 main points of BJP MP’s allegations

Silence on illegal infiltration: The MP alleged that the Congress government deliberately encouraged illegal infiltration into the north-eastern states and West Bengal for decades to create a secure ‘vote bank’.

Documents cited: He claimed that the intelligence files indicated that the then government had given priority to political interests at the cost of border security.

Demographic changes: The BJP leader argued that the result of this ‘secret agreement’ is that today the demography of the border districts has completely changed.

2. Historical context: India-Bangladesh Friendship Treaty of 1972

Officially, between Indira Gandhi and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Dhaka on 19 March 1972 ‘India-Bangladesh Friendship, Cooperation and Peace Treaty’ Was signed. Its main points were:

Respect for sovereignty: Both countries promised to respect each other’s territorial integrity.

logistical support: To help each other in case of any third party attack.

Cultural and Economic Exchange: Cooperation in trade and development.

Return of refugees: Starting the process of repatriating millions of refugees who came during the war.

3. Congress’s reaction (Opposition’s Stand)

The Congress party has termed these allegations as “completely baseless and a distortion of history”. Congress leaders say:

Mukti Vahini and proud moment: The 1971 victory and creation of Bangladesh was India’s biggest diplomatic and military victory, pointing fingers at which is an insult to the army.

Election stunt: The opposition alleges that the BJP is digging up old history to polarize in view of the upcoming assembly elections (West Bengal and Assam).

4. Expert opinion

Historians believe that the 1972 treaty was transparent, but border management and citizenship issues (such as the cut-off date under the Mujib-Indira Pact) have always been a matter of controversy. This new claim of BJP is giving a new political dimension to this controversy by talking about ‘secret agreement’.