Mangalsutra Row: Did Indira Gandhi Donate Gold During The 1962 War? The Facts Behind Priyanka's Claim

During a rally in Rajasthan over the weekend, the 'mangalsutra row' was stirred up by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that married women's mangalsutras wouldn't be safe if the Congress was voted to power.

This was later responded to on Tuesday (24 April) by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the Congress leader, launching a scathing attack on the PM for his comments and questioning if such a thing has ever happened in the 50-year rule of the party.

Photo Credit: X-@INCKerala

Further, she added that her mother Sonia Gandhi's mangalsutra was sacrificed for the sake of the country, whereas her grandmother, Indira Gandhi's, gold was donated during the war in 1962, as reported by First Post.

Here's What Priyanka Said

In Karnataka ahead of Phase 2 of the Lok Sabha elections, on Tuesday, Congress' Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allegedly making provocative statements during elections to distract people, as reported by First Post.

She emphasized the purported statements of the prime minister regarding the safety of gold and mangalsutra under Congress rule, highlighting the 70 years of India's independence and 55 years of Congress rule, questioning whether gold had ever been taken away during that time.

She referenced the sacrifices made by her family, asserting that during wartime, her grandmother Indira Gandhi contributed her gold to the country and her mother's mangalsutra was sacrificed for the nation.

Additionally, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra mentioned the prime minister's claims about crossing 400 seats in the elections and changing the Constitution, criticizing his discourse on abuse and religion, and questioning the treatment of highly qualified cities in the world, as reported by First Post.

Furthermore, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge responded on Wednesday, slamming the prime minister's remarks and questioning the sacrifices made by BJP-RSS leaders for the country. Kharge highlighted the alleged falsehoods being spread during elections by Modi regarding the safety of mangalsutras, and pointed to the history of Congress governance in the country, suggesting that such claims were unfounded.

He mentioned Indira Gandhi's contribution of her jewellery during the 1962 War and emphasized the sacrifices made by prominent leaders like Pandit Motilal Nehru and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who donated their home to the freedom movement as Anand Bhawan in Allahabad, indicating a history of dedication and sacrifice among Congress leaders for the nation.

Responses from Priyanka and Kharge were prompted by PM Modi's previous statement, which mentioned that the "Congress manifesto promises that if they come to power, everyone's property will be surveyed, the gold belonging to mothers and sisters will be calculated, and then it will be redistributed".

Indira's Golden Aid: Contributions During the 1962 War

• An incursion by Chinese troops into Indian territory in September 1962 led to Indian soldiers launching Operation Leghorn to evict them.
• Two months later, full-scale Chinese military attacks initiated the 1962 war, prompting Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to appeal to Indians for support, urging women to donate their jewellery, as reported by First Post.
• Donations to the National Defence Fund (NDF) were encouraged, with contributions in cash and kind totalling approximately Rs 22 crore.
• Indira Gandhi, Nehru's daughter, dedicated all her jewellery to the country during this time, according to an essay on the Indian National Congress website.
• Despite these efforts, India did not achieve victory in the war.
• Many gold ornaments and jewellery donated to the Defence of India Fund during this period are reportedly still stored in the vaults of the Reserve Bank of India today, as noted by Observer Research Foundation Distinguished Fellow Manoj Joshi.