NEW DELHI: The Congress on Monday came down heavily on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the removal of the iconic 1971 war “surrender” painting from the Army headquarters in New Delhi with a new artwork, calling it part of a broader effort to alter India’s history.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore submitted an adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha to address the removal of a 1971 war photograph from the Army Headquarters in New Delhi and its repercussions.
In his notice to speaker Om Birla, Tagore expressed concern over the removal of the photograph, which marks the historic surrender of Pakistani forces in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on December 16, 1971. He called the act not only troubling but a direct insult to the historical significance of the event, urging the central government to “immediately” return the photograph to its original location.
“This action is part of a disturbing trend observed in recent years, where similar efforts to alter or erase India’s original history have been reported across various ministries, monuments, and defense establishments. These incidents appear to be part of a wider push by the PM Modi government to erase or reframe historical events that do not align with certain narratives,” the Congress MP said.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also hit out at the government, saying, “A picture has been taken down from the headquarters of the Army in which the Pakistani Army is surrendering in front of the Indian Army.”
A release from the Indian Army, featuring Army chief general Upendra Dwivedi welcoming his visiting Nepalese counterpart with the new painting in the background, was the first sign that the old photograph had been removed.
Meanwhile, as the controversy grew over the removal of the iconic painting, the Indian Army informed on Monday that it has been installed “to its most befitting place,” at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi.
“On the occasion of Vijay Diwas, General Upendra Dwivedi COAS, along with the President of Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA), Sunita Dwivedi, installed the iconic 1971 surrender painting to its most befitting place, The Manekshaw Centre, named after the Architect and the Hero of 1971 War, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw,” Indian Army said in a post on X.
Meanwhile, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari replied to Congress’s criticism, saying, “Hum photo hataate nahi hain, hum toh photo dhoondh-dhoondh ke lagaate hain (We don’t remove photographs, we have in fact put up new photographs of Rajiv Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, PV Narasimha Rao in Prime Minister’s Museum.
The historic picture at the center of the row depicted Pakistan’s Lt General A A K Niazi signing the Instrument of Surrender in 1971, alongside India’s Lt General Jagjit Singh Aurora. It was prominently displayed in the Army Chief’s annexe, where he met important visitors. The painting, symbolizing one of India’s greatest military victories, served as the backdrop for many photos taken with foreign dignitaries and others.
The new artwork, however, named ‘Karam Kshetra – Field of Deeds’, features images of Chanakya, Garuda, and Krishna driving Arjuna’s chariot from the Mahabharata alongside tanks, helicopters, and boats, showing India’s military might.
December 16, 1971, marks the day Pakistan signed the Instrument of Surrender in Dhaka after a 13-day war with India. The surrender of over 93,000 soldiers marked the complete capitulation of the Pakistan Army against Indian forces.
