My family made sacrifices for country like Uttarakhand people: Rahul Gandhi in Dehradun

Dehradun, Dec 16: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi kicked off election campaign in Uttarakhand on Thursday and said that like the people of the state he too made sacrifices for the people of the country.

During a rally at Parade Ground on the 50th anniversary of India's victory over Pakistan in the 1971 War, the leader said, "The way thousands of families in Uttarakhand lose their kin battling for the country's honour, My family too has made sacrifices. This is my relationship with Uttarakhand,"

He referred to his grandmother and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi that she took "32 bullets for the country" but there was no mention at a government event on the 1971 War anniversary in New Delhi. He said that families who made no sacrifice for the nation cannot feel this.

According to the Congress leader, India won the 1971 War because it was "united" then.

"Pakistan bowed its head within 13 days in the 1971 war. Generally, a war is fought for 6 months, 1-2 years. America took 20 years to defeat Afghanistan but India made Pakistan lose in 13 days only as India was united & was standing as one," he further added.

Vijay Diwas is celebrated every year on 16 December to commemorate the victory of Indian over Pakistan in Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 for the liberation of Bangladesh from Pakistan forty-eight years ago. PTI