Bangladesh's highest state honour for ex-PM Indira Gandhi

[Animal]

Dhaka Bangladesh will honour former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with its highest state award for her outstanding contribution to the country's 1971 'Liberation War'.

“The cabinet has decided to confer Mrs Indira Gandhi with our highest state honour, 'Bangladesh Swadhinata Sanmanona'. So far she would be the lone recipient of the honour,” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's press secretary Abul Kalam Azad said in an interview.

It decided to confer the highest state honour on the assassinated Indian prime minister for her “tremendous contribution” to the country's Liberation War.

“The daughter-in-law of Mrs Gandhi and Indian Congress Party president Sonia Gandhi will receive the award from President Zillur Rahman on July 25 at Bangabhaban presidential palace at a special ceremony,” Azad said.

The Pakistan army conducted widespread atrocities against the civilian populations of East Pakistan, which later became Bangladesh.

The late Indian premier traveled across the world to mobilise support for the people of East Pakistan amid a massive crackdown on civilians by the Pakistan Army.

According to official figures, Pakistani troops, aided by local collaborators, killed an estimated 3 million people, raped about 200,000 women and forced millions more to leave their homes during the bloody nine-month guerrilla war.

India had to face a huge refugee crisis as an estimated one crore people fled their homes to evade atrocities by the Pakistani troops.

Earlier reports said that the government also plans to rechristen an important road in the memory of the former Indian prime minister.

A separate monument would also be built to honour Indian defence personnel martyred in the 1971 war.

Continuedhere (http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/B%5Cdesh%5Cs-highest-state-honour-for-exPM-Indira-Gandhi/819579/)

[Poison]

Was it Indira who ordered the attack on the Golden Temple?

[pakistani_banda]

should pakistan not protest against this award???

[PakPrince]

^
you serious?

what has Pak got to do with an independent country conferring an award to a person from another different country

[KFC_Zinger]

Was it Indira who ordered the attack on the Golden Temple?


I think you know the answer but are pretending to act cool....

yeah she did order operation Blue Star and paid fatally for that....

How does that change the fact that She was instrumental in B'desh gaining independence and hence B'desh premier bestowing the award to her.....

[Poison]

No I genuinely did not know, but if she did order the attack on the Sikh's most holy site, she does not deserve any such honours, at all.

[pakistani_banda]

^
you serious?

what has Pak got to do with an independent country conferring an award to a person from another different country

because the person being awarded the award was played a role in breaking pakistan apart. i am not saying that west pakistanis had no role, they had the major role, of all with all their stupid power mongering policies, but still. this is something like china is against the taiwanese govt and dalai lama.

[Sachin85]

No I genuinely did not know, but if she did order the attack on the Sikh's most holy site, she does not deserve any such honours, at all.

She didn't just attack it randomly for fun!

There were Sikh terrorists hiding inside. They were holed up inside, cornered.

Somewhat similar to Musharraf and Lal Masjid.

[Sachin85]

because the person being awarded the award was played a role in breaking pakistan apart. i am not saying that west pakistanis had no role, they had the major role, of all with all their stupid power mongering policies, but still. this is something like china is against the taiwanese govt and dalai lama.

Bangladesh came into being because of Pakistan breaking apart. They want to honour the person who helped them form Bangladesh.

Pakistan has nothing to do with any of this.

[Krishnan]

This is just a time pass give and take policy between india and bangla.Dont take these awards seriously

2009 indira gandhi peace prize was given to sheikh hasina by india

2011-reciprocated

[SG]

She didn't just attack it randomly for fun!

There were Sikh terrorists hiding inside. They were holed up inside, cornered.

Somewhat similar to Musharraf and Lal Masjid.
Hope we had more leaders like her. Gotta be gutsiest Indian PM ever.

[jeetu]

Good that Bangladesh realized her contribution. I was never big fan of her and her clan but her good contribution for the country can't be denied.

[Poison]

Don't care if there were a thousand terrorists in there ... you cannot attack something like that. It's not the equivalent of Lal Masjid, it's the equivalent of the USA attacking the Kaaba.

[Romali_rotti]

No I genuinely did not know, but if she did order the attack on the Sikh's most holy site, she does not deserve any such honours, at all.

What do you think > Was it ok for a Wannabe called Brindamwale to store guns, grenades & ammo in the Sikh temple ? I mean we are talking about a 'holy' site here..

[Itachi]

Hope we had more leaders like her. Gotta be gutsiest Indian PM ever.

yup. She was hell of a woman. She didn't even care usa's stand in '71 and went ahead supporting the bangladesh. The most gutsiest prime minister of india ever.... (well there were some mistakes too)....

[IgnitedMind]

As Said, one of our gutsiest Prime Minister. She probably is one of top 5 best PM's India had..

Good that bangla govt is recognizing her part in their freedom

[Mohsin]

should pakistan not protest against this award???

Nah, Sikh's would have a better footing

[Romali_rotti]

yup. She was hell of a woman. She didn't even care usa's stand in '71 and went ahead supporting the bangladesh. The most gutsiest prime minister of india ever.... (well there were some mistakes too)....

She had a pair of Iron fists, she smashed Brindamwale to pieces, the Khalistan movement is just about DEAD now.. It set the tone to Indians as well as outsiders whatever India owns, India Keeps...

[Poison]

She had a pair of Iron fists, she smashed Brindamwale to pieces, the Khalistan movement is just about DEAD now.. It set the tone to Indians as well as outsiders whatever India owns, India Keeps...

RR, can you not see the irony here? :)) Especially with regard to what this award is being awarded for?

[SG]

Don't care if there were a thousand terrorists in there ... you cannot attack something like that.
Had Vajpayee showed even half the spine Indira did during Op Bluestar, there would have been some less terrorists we'd have begging to be handed over to us.

[Romali_rotti]

RR, can you not see the irony here? :)) Especially with regard to what this award is being awarded for?

Please take me out of the whole Banggla equation, I was only with her in taking down the Khalistan movement..

[cricketindiafan]

Expect a quid pro quo from the Indian govt. We may very soon see Bharat Ratna being given to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

[KFC_Zinger]

Don't care if there were a thousand terrorists in there ... you cannot attack something like that. It's not the equivalent of Lal Masjid, it's the equivalent of the USA attacking the Kaaba.

Lol :)))

As if B'desh cares what u think......

[Arcturus]

She didn't just attack it randomly for fun!

There were Sikh terrorists hiding inside. They were holed up inside, cornered.

Somewhat similar to Musharraf and Lal Masjid.

The same Sikh terrorists she created, Bhindrewala was her creation who turned on her.

She got what she deserved. Though the manner in which she was killed was shameful what with the Sikh bodyguards turning on her.

[ace58]

honestly they would have gotten independence regardless of who was Prime minister. How was Pakistan going to squash the rebellion in Bangladesh with india in between the two countries? It makes me sick that her Italian grandson and Congress brag about it to this day.

[ace58]

She had a pair of Iron fists, she smashed Brindamwale to pieces, the Khalistan movement is just about DEAD now.. It set the tone to Indians as well as outsiders whatever India owns, India Keeps...

I don't know about that. She and Congress did play a big role in starting the Khalistan movement and giving Binderwala more prestige.

This is from wikipedia but is very well sourced.

Akali Dal's demands

The Akali Dal led a series of peaceful mass demonstrations to present its grievances to the central government. The demands of the Akali Dal were based on the Anandpur Sahib Resolution,[38] which was adopted by the party in October 1973 to raise specific political, economic and social issues. The major motivation behind the resolution was the safeguarding of the Sikh identity by securing a state structure that was decentralised, with non-interference from the central government. The Resolution outlines seven objectives.[39]

1. The transfer of the federally administered city of Chandigarh to Punjab.
2. The transfer of Punjabi speaking and contiguous areas to Punjab.
3. Decentralisation of states under the existing constitution, limiting the central government’s role.
4. The call for land reforms and industrialisation of Punjab, along with safeguarding the rights of the weaker sections of the population.
5. The enactment of an all-India gurdwara (Sikh house of worship) act.
6. Protection for minorities residing outside Punjab, but within India.
7. Revision of government’s recruitment quota restricting the number of Sikhs in armed forces.

The Wall Street Journal noted:

"The Akali Dal is in the hands of moderate and sensible leadership...but giving anyone a fair share of power is unthinkable politics of Mrs. Gandhi [the then Prime Minister of India]...Many Hindus in Punjab privately concede that there isn't much wrong with these demands. But every time the ball goes to the Congress court, it is kicked out one way or another because Mrs. Gandhi considers it a good electoral calculation."[40]


plus the operation Blue star was actually exactly what Binderwala wanted if you read his interview he needed something big to get More sikhs into the Khalistani movement. But even after that most Sikhs didn't want khalisan and the never really did which is why it failed. Their where just as many if not more sikhs fighting against khalistan as their where fighting for it.


Its very different than the Kashmir issue where most muslims their want independence.

[Romali_rotti]

I don't know about that. She and Congress did play a big role in starting the Khalistan movement and giving Binderwala more prestige.

This is from wikipedia but is very well sourced.



plus the operation Blue star was actually exactly what Binderwala wanted if you read his interview he needed something big to get More sikhs into the Khalistani movement. But even after that most Sikhs didn't want khalisan and the never really did which is why it failed. Their where just as many if not more sikhs fighting against khalistan as their where fighting for it.


Its very different than the Kashmir issue where most muslims their want independence.



It dont matter if she did creat a Brindawale ala CIa> Taliban, she smoked him as soon as he became a threat which was all that mattered........lol Khalistan movement......

[upper_Cut]

Don't care if there were a thousand terrorists in there ... you cannot attack something like that. It's not the equivalent of Lal Masjid, it's the equivalent of the USA attacking the Kaaba.

A Masjid is House of Allah to Muslims.
A temple is equivalent to Sikhs.

So any Masjid is house of Allah doesnt matter if it is Lal masjid or anyother.

Kaaba is a holy place without any doubt but any masjid is holy

[Sachin85]

Don't care if there were a thousand terrorists in there ... you cannot attack something like that. It's not the equivalent of Lal Masjid, it's the equivalent of the USA attacking the Kaaba.

She didn't attack the golden temple, she targeted those inside! Its not like she bombed the place by air or something!

The people who brought in weapons and held hostages inside the golden temple were the ones who disrespected the holy site.

If the Kaaba was attacked by terrorists(god forbid), who went in with weapons and held hostages, how do you suggest the Kaaba is cleansed of the terrorists?? Just let them stay in there forever??

[ace58]

It dont matter if she did creat a Brindawale ala CIa> Taliban, she smoked him as soon as he became a threat which was all that mattered.......lol Khalistan movement......

cia taliban = gandhi binderwala? Where did I suggest that? I have no idea how that analogy would even make sense. I just said that had she listened to some of some of the grivences of the Sikhs Bhindrawalas rise to power could have easily been avoided.

[Romali_rotti]

cia taliban = gandhi binderwala? Where did I suggest that? I have no idea how that analogy would even make sense. I just said that had she listened to some of some of the grivences of the Sikhs Bhindrawalas rise to power could have easily been avoided.

Did I say you said Cia, Taliban connection to the Brindwale ? Also your earlier post said: She and Congress did play a big role in starting the Khalistan movement , now you say all she did was listen. It dont matter, at the end of the day Khalistan movement is just about finished and that Joke called Brindwale is dead...

[W63L35]

Bangladesh's highest state honour for ex-PM Indira Gandhi
As soon as Khalistan becomes independent, they will bestow their highest award on her too..... oh wait, she has already been rewarded!

[freelance_cricketer]

Great lady !

Deserves it :14:

[KFC_Zinger]

As soon as Khalistan becomes independent, they will bestow their highest award on her too..... oh wait, she has already been rewarded!

The same way Zia was rewarded.....

[Thees_Mar_Khan]

Who cares :21:

[pal]

To the Indians celebrating her, have you forgotten that she was a de facto dictator for almost two years, suspending the democratic process in India after she was convicted of election fraud?

She violently repressed all of her political opposition and denied the population its freedoms and civil liberties. She threw hundreds of thousands of her political opponents in jail, from Sikh groups to the RSS to communists. Altogether 140,000 people were held without trial in prison during that period. The RSS was banned, and Sikhs were also targeted with 40,000 of them being imprisoned.

It doesn't have to be said that Indira Gandhi's son continued her reign of terror and violence against the Sikhs.

[KFC_Zinger]

who cares :21:

[USaqaf]

Pakistan treated their eastern cousins like ****, the banglas pleaded with pakistan for better rights more representation and better distribution of central funds, and lastly respect for their mother tongue, yet Pakistan did everything to infuriate them.
Not surprising we're blaming someone else, its sadly in our blood.

[USaqaf]

No I genuinely did not know, but if she did order the attack on the Sikh's most holy site, she does not deserve any such honours, at all.

Those terrorists brought the country to its knees, remember the Shia terrorists who holed up in the Kaaba in the 70s what happened there? Did you conveniently forget?

[Tera Gawaandi]

The same Sikh terrorists she created, Bhindrewala was her creation who turned on her.

She got what she deserved. Though the manner in which she was killed was shameful what with the Sikh bodyguards turning on her.

She didn't just attack it randomly for fun!

There were Sikh terrorists hiding inside. They were holed up inside, cornered.

Somewhat similar to Musharraf and Lal Masjid.

Is there such a thing as 'Sikh/Hindu/Muslim terrorist' ?

I'm patriotic Indian, my great grandfather was freedom fighter, you guys have half info abt Operation Bluestar, It was pre medidated design, Instead of producing the desired result, it added new dimensions to crisis. Indira intentionally chose 'Baisakhi' festival day to attack Golden Temple.

Bhindranwale didnt ask for Khalistan and only after the Operation Bluestar the demand for Khalistan started with his supporters and other groups. I am clear on this and you could search on what were Bhindranwale's demands and you can post here. Bhindranwale denied any seperation demand in a interview with Mark Tully. Bhindrawala was propped up by the Congress against the Akalis and when he became too vociferous in his demands, Indira tried to distance herself from him and branded him a militant. She might not have hated Sikhs but she surely didnt endear herself to the Sikh community by her actions. She was treating the Nirankari and other related issues as law and order problems and unwilling to address the political and social reasons behind them.

Indira always had grudge against Sikhs, According to Amnesty International, 140,000 people had been arrested without trial during the twenty months of Indira Gandhi's Emergency (25 June 1975 – 21 March 1977). Of them, 40,000 had come from India's two percent Sikh minority.

Sant Harcharan Singh Longowal -
"The question before us is not whether Indira Gandhi should continue to be prime minister or not. The point is whether democracy in this country is to survive or not. The democratic structure stands on three pillars, namely a strong opposition, independent judiciary and free press. Emergency has destroyed all these essentials."

Atrocities against Sikhs started long before Khalistan! Its hard to seperate Indira from Hitler and Zia Ul Haq.

I'm out of this thread, I have no interest in Bangladesh's affair.

[Tera Gawaandi]

Double Post.

[Saad Hasan]

Bangladesh should really extend this honor posthumously to Pakistan’s ex-PM, President, Civilian Chief Martial-Law Administrator (dictator) Bhutto, without his treachery and incompetence; the secession of Bangladesh would not have been possible.

[Equinox]

Thread has gone way off-course. She was instrumental in Bangladesh's independence and hence deserves it. There were many influencial people in Pakistan who were also lobbying for Bangladesh's independence. They too should be honoured.

[W63L35]

Thread has gone way off-course. She was instrumental in Bangladesh's independence and hence deserves it..

Wish she was as instrumental in Khalistan independence as she was in BD's independence!!!

[GulabQ]

Bur her grandson can for Baluchistan :P

[KB]

Bhindranwale didnt ask for Khalistan and only after the Operation Bluestar the demand for Khalistan started with his supporters and other groups.

This is accurate.