Jitan Ram Manjhi slams Rahul Gandhi, says Congress’ entire history is of surrender

Patna: Union MSME Minister and HAM(S) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi on Wednesday accused the Congress party of having a “history of surrender”.

He said this while reacting to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s statement on Tuesday, alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi “surrendered” following a call from US President Donald Trump during the India-Pakistan military face-off last month.

Jitan Ram Manjhi launched a scathing counterattack on the social media platform X, listing what he termed as “surrenders” by Congress leaders across generations.

“Nehru’s surrender in front of Indira Gandhi, Indira’s surrender in front of the public regarding the Emergency. Rajiv Gandhi’s surrender in front of Bofors, Manmohan Singh’s surrender in front of Sonia Gandhi. The entire UPA government surrendered when Rahul Gandhi tore the ordinance. Those whose entire history is of surrender shouldn’t point fingers at others,” Manjhi said in his post.

Manjhi’s post sought to portray Congress as historically submissive while defending the Modi government’s handling of the security crisis.

Rahul Gandhi, while addressing party workers at the launch of the ‘Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan’ in Bhopal, talked about the 1971 war and compared leadership styles.

“When America sent its Seventh Fleet in 1971, Indira Gandhi did not bow down. But recently, a call came from Trump, and Narendra Modi surrendered – history is witness. This is the character of the BJP-RSS, they always bow down,” Gandhi said.

The comment referred to events during the India-Pakistan conflict in May, following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, when India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7.

The operation targeted nine terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Two days later, Pakistan called for a ceasefire, which was first publicly announced by Donald Trump on social media.

The exchange reflects a growing political polarisation in the run-up to the 2025 Bihar elections, with national security emerging as a key political battleground.

While the Central government has maintained that it reached an understanding for a ceasefire after Pakistan’s DGMO sought it, opposition parties allege diplomatic compromise under foreign pressure.

Political observers note that Rahul Gandhi’s repeated invocation of 1971 is aimed at drawing comparisons between Congress and the BJP, even as the external geopolitical environment has vastly changed.

–IANS