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Transcript of Nviews Gandhi
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N EWSVI
GANDHI GANDHIV/s
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Avideo still thatallegedlyshowsactressRanjithaandSwamiNityanandaindulging in actsofintimacy.
IND IA
IRA
SONIndiraandSonia,twocogsfromadynasticwheelbutseemingly
verydifferent.
WhatsetsthenewMrsGapart?
Idontthinkanyone
wassmarterthan
Indira...butSoniahas
turnedoutsmarter
thanpeopleexpected
hertobe.
SiddharthaShankar
Ray,FormerWest
BengalCM
Soniaisahesitant
speaker.Shewants
thepoliciestospeak
forherand
legitimiseher
leadership.
ZoyaHasanPolitical
scientist
InSonia,Iseethe
qualitiesanIndian
leadershouldhave.
Sheis
accommodatingand
believesin
consultation.
AshisNandy
Sociologist
Shesshapingher
legacyinadifferent
style.Sanjaywasa
nightmare...Rahulis
beingpromotedmore
gracefully.
DipankarGupta
Sociologist
WhenahesitantSoniaGandhitookherfirstearlystepsinIndianpolitics,shemadeitapointtodresslikeherformidablemother-in-law,whosebullet-riddledbodyshehadcradledonthatterribledayin1984.IndiraGandhiisembeddedinourhistoryandallourcollectivememoriesastheenigmatic
leaderwhotransformedthenationandthenatureofourpolitics.Shealsoleftuswiththecontemporaryworldsmostdurablepoliticaldynasty.
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Twenty-sixyearsafterIndirasassassinationand19yearsaftershelosthusbandRajiv,Soniaisbeginningtocreateherownlegacy.HerundilutedsupportfortheWomens
ReservationBillthatpasseditsfirsthurdleintheRajyaSabhalastweekistestimonytothat. ThereislittledoubtthatthereluctantmalepoliticalclasswithintheCongresswouldhavefoundsomepretexttotorpedothebillifSoniahadnotbeensofirm.Ina TVinterviewlater,Soniashowedalittlegentlehumour:WhensomepartyMPscametocongratulatemeandsaidtheywerehappy,Iasked,sachmuch(really)!CongressmanandauthorManiShankar Aiyarsaysthepassageofthewomensbillmarks
themomentwhenSoniacameintoherown.Onamatterofprinciple,SoniaGandhiriskedthefutureofhergovernment. Thatsaremarkablequality...itsetsaparttheleaderfromthepolitician, hesays. Accordingto
Aiyar,Indirahadthatmomentwhenshesetouttoabolishprivypurses,RajivdiditwiththepanchayatirajlegislationandnowSoniahasdoneso,inthefaceofsomewell-entrenchedmaleopposition.True,leadershipisatestofnerves.SoniastilldresseslikeIndirainthoseeleganthandloom
sareeswithhigh-backedblouses.Butshesaverydifferentsortofpersonality.Indirawillalwaysfascinateastheruthlessleaderwhofought,wasattacked,andwhofoughtbackevenmorefiercely.Shetookonpowerfulmenwithinherownparty,themaharajasandmaharanisintheirlittlefiefdoms,theOppositionthatshecallouslythrewintojailduringtheEmergency.Indirafoughttoothandnailtokeepherprimeministership.Soniasimplysacrificedhighofficetoreachnewheights.
IndirabiographerInderMalhotra(IndiraGandhi: A PersonalandPoliticalHistory)recallsaconversationwhensheadmittedtohavingoverdonethingsinthecourseoftheEmergency. AsMalhotraputsit, Shesaidshewasconsciousthatshemaydestroyherfathersgreatlegacyandthatiswhysherestoreddemocracy. ThatwasIndiratheleaderbutalsoadaughter,JawaharlalNehrusdaughter. TherewasalsoIndirathelonelyautocrat.Herecountsanotherinstancewhenshetoldaleadingjournalistwhoasked
heraboutthestateoftheparty: Whereistheparty?Iamtheparty. Shewallowedinthecultofpersonalityandencouragedsloganslike
Soniahasadroitlyfoundapositioninpower
bystayingoutofpower,somethingIndiracould
neverhavecontemplated.
IndiraisIndia/IndiaisIndira
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SoniaiscertainlynotIndira.Sociologist AshisNandybelievesthatfuturegenerationswilljudgeSoniamuchmorekindly.Sheisstillbuildingherlegacybutsheshowstherightinstinctsasahumanbeingandapolitician,hesays. ThereisafascinationwithIndirabecauseofherstrengthinthefaceofgreatodds.ButinSoniaIseethequalitiesthatanIndianleadershouldhave.Sheisaccommodatingandbelievesinconsultation. TheotherIndianleaderwhohadthatqualitywas AtalBehariVajpayee.Indiracertainlylackedtheabilitytoconsultandaccommodate, hesays
BackstoryIndian-born.Very
keentojoinpolitics.BecametheI&BministerinLalBahadur
Shastri'scabinetin1964.Twoyearslaterbecameprimeminister.
StyleoffunctioningAutocratic,inflexible.Dependedonahandfulofadvisorsreferredtoasthekitchencabinet.DidnotstriveforaconsensuswithinherpartyortheOpposition.Attractedalotofriff-raff.Wasvindictive,aggressiveandbrazen.
BackstoryForeign-born.Averyreluctantentrantintopolitics.Stayedawayfrompoliticsforseven
yearsafterherhusbandRajivGandhi'sassassinationin1991.
Styleoffunctioning
Believesinevolvingaconsensuswithinthe
CongressandOpposition.Isopentocriticism.Involvesnon-politiciansinframing
policydecisions.Herwestern sensibilitieskeeps
partyriff-raffatadistance.Credoissocialempowerment.
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BestRememberedForBanknationalisation
Withdrawalofprivypursesof
maharajas
Indo-SovietTreatyofPeace,
UnderstandingandCooperation
WinningtheBangladeshwarand
thehumanetreatmentof
refugeesfromacrosstheborder
TheShimlaAgreementThe
Pokhran-Inucleartest
Failures
Emergencyandcensorship
PromotingsonSanjayGandhi
CausingasplitintheCongress
in1969
TheGaribiHataocampaign
(criticssayitwasmerelip
service)
Heldguiltyofelectoral
malpractice
Usingfundamentalistslike
Bhindranwaletounderminethe
AkaliDal
OperationBluestar
Also,somewouldarguethatIndiradidnothavetheinstinctsofademocratthatnotjustcallsforconsensusbutpower-sharing.Instead,shenurturedacoteriewhosememberswieldedexcessivepower.AnOppositionpoliticianwhohassurvivedthereignsofboththeGandhiwomensaysthatpossiblybecauseofherwesternsensibilities,Soniakeepsadistancefromcorruptorcontroversialfigures
ItcertainlygoestohercreditthatshedoesnothavehenchmenlikeIndiradid.Herambitionsappeartobeforherchildren.IndiratoohadgreatambitionsforsonSanjayGandhibuthewasusedaschiefhenchmantoperpetuateherreign.HisexcessesduringtheEmergencyareamatterofpublicrecord.Sonia,ontheotherhand,doesnotappeartoseekpowerforherselfbutplaystheroleofkeeperoftheNehru-Gandhitorchthatwillbepassedontoher
son.ShealsocutsamorematernalfigurethanIndiraeverdid.Dynasticpoliticshassomethinginherentlyundemocraticbuiltintoit. YetthereisnoindecencythatRahulorPriyankahaveeverperpetuatedonthenationinthemanneroftheirinfamousuncle. Theycomethroughasratherearnestyoungpeople.
TheirvisionofIndiaisperhapsshapedbytheirmotherssupportforsocialsectorlegislations.TheNehru-Gandhioffspringmaybecritiquedforbeingdynastsbuttheyareperhapssetinthemouldofbenignmonarchswhowanttousetheirreignforwhattheythinkisthegoodofthepeople.PoliticalscientistZoyaHasanbelievesthatSoniasideologycanbedescribedasconsistingofastrongcommitmenttonon-sectarianpolitics
thatrisesabovecaste,religion,community.HerpoliticalvisionisdefinedbypoliciesliketheRTI,NREGA andnowwomensreservation.SaysHasan: Indianpoliticalleadersaredefinedbytheirrhetoricandoratory.Soniaisahesitantspeaker.Ibelieveshewantsthepoliciestospeak
forherandlegitimiseherleadership. AsforthecomparisonwithIndira,Hasanwillonlysaythatthepoliticalcontextisalotdifferentandpoliticsismorecompetitivetoday.
So,isSoniaperhapssmarterthanIndira?InderMalhotrasaysshehasmanyadmirablequalitiesbutIdontthinksheissmarter,althoughshehascertainlyturnedoutsmarterthanpeopleexpected
hertobe.SiddharthaShankarRay,whowasoneoftheCongressmenclosesttoIndira,jokes: Youmustneveraskifamother-in-lawisbetterthanherdaughter-in-law.Itonlycreatestrouble. Butonamoreseriousnote,hesays: IdontthinkanypoliticianIhaveknownhasmadesmartermovesthanIndira.IthinkSoniahaslearntfromIndirasexperiences...andanypoliticianwhocanruntheCongressforsomanyyearswithoutamajor
disasteriscertainlynotafool.
Atonelevel,thecomparisonisunfairasIndirawasprimeministerforover15yearsandSoniahas
consistentlyrefusedoffice.Butforthepastsixyears,shehasleftherimprintonIndia.Right-wingcommentatorSwapanDasguptaarticulateshisviewsintermoftheirpoliciesandpersonalities:Indirawasruthless.Soniaisajholawali! Heelaboratestheclassicright-wingcritiqueofboth:Indirawasguidedbyaverynarrow,self-serving,doctrinaireapproachthatledtonationalisationofbanks,abolitionofprivypurses,overbureaucratisationandanexaggeratedtilttotheSovietUnion.Soniasprimarymotivationsaregoody-goody,NGO-type.PerhapsSoniasgreatachievementisthatshehasovercometheItalian-
originhandicapandhasnowemergedasadecisiveleader.IndirawasbornintoagreatpoliticalfamilyandlearntatthefeetofJawaharlalNehru;SoniawasbornindistantItalyandhusbandRajivwasapilotwhowascompelledbycircumstancestoevolveintoapolitician.
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KeyAchievementsSteppinginandrevivingthe
Congressafterithitalowin
thepost-NarasimhaRao-
SitaramKesriperiod
LeadingtheCongressbackto
powerin2004and2009
Listeningtoher"innervoice"in
decliningtheprime
ministership,trustingan
outsiderwithit
Shapingalegislationlike
NREGAtocombatruralpoverty,
RTIfortransparency,Rightto
EducationAct
PushingtheWomen's
ReservationBillintheRS
Hasneverbeenpersonally
chargedwithcorruption
althoughBoforsand
Quattrocchicontinuetohaunt
her
Failures
Essentially,abelieverinthe
dynasticlegacy
Notapowerfulorator,
particularlyinHindi
Oftenseenasallowingparty
tobeatoddswithPM
Notinclinedtoplayanactive
roleinforeignpolicyand
economicissues
In1998,shewentto
RashtrapatiBhavan
erroneouslyclaimingshe
hadthenumberstoforma
government.
IndirareignedatatimewhentheCongresswasthepre-eminentpartyofthenationandherearlybattleswereaboutgainingcontroloftheparty.SoniaovercamethetragediesoftwobrutalassassinationstoleadtheCongressthatwasthenindeclineandbeingchallengedbytheforcesofbothMandalandmandir.
IndiramayhavefoughtmanygreatbattlesbutSoniahashadtosurmountmanymorehurdles.Shehasadroitlyfoundapositioninpowerbybeingoutofpower,somethingthatIndiracouldneverhavecontemplated.SayssociologistDipankarGupta: SoniahaskepttheenginecoolwhereasitwasalwaysoverheatedduringMrsGandhistime.CertainlyinthemannerinwhichsheshapedIndiandemocracyIndirahashadagreaterimpact,bothnegativeandpositive.ButSoniaisnowshapingherlegacyinaverydifferentstyle.SanjayGandhiwasanightmareforthepeople.Rahul,incontrast,isbeing
promotedinamoregracefulmanner. Theseare
criticaldifferences.
Indirawascharismatic,brilliant,ruthless.Soniaissofter,gentler,kinder.ShemayneverbethefascinatingleaderthatIndirawaswithallhertriumphsandlosses,victoriesanddefeats.IndiraperhapshadhergreatestmomentafterwinningtheBangladeshwarwhenshewashailedasGoddessDurgabynoneotherpoliticalopponentslikeVajpayee.
Soniaalsoreignsinadifferenttimeandage. Thegreatestdramaassociatedwithherinvolvedherrenunciationofpoliticalofficein2004.Womensreservationisthebiggambleonwhichshehasstakedhergovernmentssurvivalandherownreputation.Ifitpassesasshehaspromiseditwill,itstandstotransformIndiandemocracymuchinthemannerhermother-in-lawdidinsomanyways.ItisnowuptoSoniatonavigatethelegislationthroughtheLokSabha.Shehas
certainlyevolvedintotheladywithaquietdetermination.
INDIANTOBHARATIYAExactly12yearsago,SoniaGandhitookoverthereinsofaparty
goingthroughtheworstcrisisinitslonghistory.Alothas
changedsincethen,bothfortheCongressanditschief
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CongressheadquartersonSundayworeadesertedlook.Withgovernmentestablishmentsclosedandalmostalloffice-bearerseitherenjoyingtheweekendoroutinthe"field",thecrowdofpartyworkersandfavourseekerswhothrong24, AkbarRoadweremissing.ForCongressmembers,though,itwasnoordinaryday.
For,itwasexactly12yearsagothatSoniaGandhiwasappointedpartychief,inadevelopmentthatstemmedCongress'sdownwardslide,helpeditcapturetheDilliDurbarafternearly
adecadelongpowerdroughtandputthepartyontheroadtorecapturingthepre-eminenceitappearedtohavelosttochallengers.
Twelveyears,toparaphraseformerBritishPrimeMinisterHaroldMacmillan,maybealongtimeinpolitics,butfewwouldhaveimaginedtheturnaroundintheparty'sfortunesSoniahasscriptedsincethedaywhenmembersofCongressWorkingCommittee,deeplyworriedabouttheexistentialcrisisfacingtheparty,turnedagainsttheincumbentSitaramKesritohandovertheorganisationalreinstoher.
Congress,whichhadlostthepolepositiontoaresurgentBJP in1996,wasadriftandthreatenedtosinkfurther. ThepolarisationbroughtaboutbyMandal-Mandirpoliticssawthepartylosingthe
crucialconstituenciesofMuslims,OBCsanddalitsinnorthIndiaaswellashugepoliticalspacesacrossstatestorivals.
Its'catch-all'appealwasbluntedwiththemiddleclass,putoffbythestinkofcorruptionandcompromises,embracingBJP'sofferofacleanalternativeandtheboldespousalofeconomicreformsmakingthepoorandvulnerabledoubttheparty'sintent. ThetaskthatfacedSoniaasshesetouttopullorganisationalchestnutsoutofthefirewastougherthanthechallengeIndiraGandhihadencounteredaftertheparty'sfirst-everdefeatin1977. A processionofCongressleadersinventedvariousexcusestojointheBJP.DoubtsassailingthefaithfuldidnotdisappearevenwhenSoniaarrived,withmanysuspectingthat
her"foreignorigin"wouldhandicapherterribly.Theresultsofthe1999pollswhenCongress'stallydippedtojust114whileBJP openedupahugegapatthetoponlyreinforcedthein-housesceptics.
Injustoveradecade,thefortuneshavebeenreversedwithCongressregainingthenumberoneslotandappearingwellonitswaytoestablishtheascendancyithastraditionallyenjoyed. The2004pollssawthepartyscoreavictory"onpoints",bybeingpragmaticincourtingalliesandbycapitalisingonBJP'spre-pollhubris.
Thechancethusgainedwas,however,usedbySoniatore-establishthe'aamaadmi'credentialslostinthewakeofreformsandtoreachouttotheleft-of-centrepartofcivilsocietywhichwasnever
enamouredofCongress.Sonia'spainstakingworkhashelpedCongress
regaintheaffectionsofMuslimsandlureuppercastesinthenorthbacktothefold,withtheresultsofLokSabhapollsfromUP suggestingthatitmaybeabletore-stitchthesocialcoalitionthathelpeditdominatethepoliticallandscape.
Butasitpractisesoldstylepopulismrepresentedbydebt-waiversandguaranteedjobschemeforruralareas,thepartyhasalsobeenabletoidentifyitself,forthefirsttimesincetheeuphoriageneratedbynationalisationofbanksunderIndira,withtheaspirationsofthegrowingcategoryofurbanIndianyouth. Thedeterminedpushforwomen'squotabillon Tuesday,despitereservationsamonggovernmentleaders,waspart
oftheenterprisewhichhasbeenhelpedconsiderablybythearrivalofRahulGandhi.Resistancefromthe Yadavtroikaappearsto
haveforcedthegovernmenttoputthewomen'sbillonholdbutthetacticalretreatcannotcamouflagetheintenttopressaheadwitheffortstoformapurelyCongressgovernmentafterthenextLSelections.