Cong forms panel to plan golden jubilee celebrations of B’desh Liberation War

New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday set up a committee chaired by former defence minister AK Antony to plan and coordinate the party’s activities to commemorate the historic 50th anniversary of the Bangladesh Liberation War.

The panel includes Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar, former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and former Union minister Jitendra Singh.

Former president Pranab Mukherjee’s daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee, who is the national spokesperson of the party, has also been included in the panel.

”The Congress President has approved the formation of the committee to plan and coordinate the activities of the Indian National Congress to commemorate the historic 50th anniversary of the Bangladesh Liberation War won in 1971, which holds testimony to the special relationship between our two countries,” an official communication from the party said.

Other members of the committee include former Haryana minister Kiran Choudhry, Telangana Congress chief Uttam Kumar Reddy and Major Ved Prakash.

Praveen Davar has been made the panel’s convener, the party said.

The 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War was fought during the tenure of former prime minister Indira Gandhi.