Sitharaman should take inspiration from Indira Gandhi: Naik

Panaji, Oct 31: Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Shantaram Naik on Tuesday said new Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman should take inspiration from former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and suggested that she should deal with Pakistan from a position of strength and should not be a "mere show piece". On the occasion of the death anniversary of Indira Gandhi at the Congress House in the city, Mr Naik said,"It appeared that neither the Prime Minister nor the Defence Minister is concerned about the deaths of our jawans which take place every week." Mr Naik said,"If Mr Modi has chosen a woman to be Defence Minister of the country, the Prime Minister has to encourage her to be like Indira Gandhi who liberated Bangladesh with strength and determination and taught Pakistan a lesson to remember for their lifetime." Mr Naik said Congress also remembered the role played by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to keep the country united but the BJP leaders and workers by their divisive approach were working against Patel's teaching. He claimed that the reference made by Mr Modi to former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Indiraji in his last "Man Ki Baat" was only on account of approaching Gujarat elections. Leader of Opposition in Goa Assembly Chandrakant Kavlekar said Indira Gandhi was not a leader merely of Congress but a leader of the entire nation. Mr Shambhu Bhau Bandekar, former Deputy Speaker of Goa Assembly Ex CM Francisco Sardinha, Goa Pradesh Mahila Congress Chief Pratima Coutinho, former Union Law Minister Ramakant Khalap also spoke on the occasion. UNI