History is written by the victors. So the flood of government advertisements with beatific and benevolent images of Indira Gandhi which appeared on the 25th anniversary of her assassination is not surprising. If the birth anniversary of India's original iron man, which fell on the same day, was ignored, that also is unremarkable. Outside Gujarat, how many still remember Sardar Patel? That Indira Gandhi continues to fascinate people throughout the length and breath of the country is borne out by the long, winding queues standing daily outside 1, Safdarjung Road, the house in which she lived and was shot dead by her own guards. This is in contrast to the Birla House, where Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated, and which now houses a dusty, neglected museum.

But what took me aback was how many of our TV commentators and newspaper analysts rated Indira as one of our best prime ministers. There appeared to be far more rosy recollections than negative memories on the silver jubilee of Indira's death. As someone who has lived through the Indira years and experienced first hand the dark side of her deeply divisive brand of politics and governance, I can't help feeling that some of the nostalgia for her reign is rather misplaced.

To give a cross-section of views by prominent journalists on India's controversial iron lady:

Vir Sanghvi praises Indira for her strength and leadership. He says her critics attack her mainly for her dynastic ambitions and her Left-wing economic policies. The Emergency she imposed, he believes, has been forgotten. Sanghvi credits Indira for keeping India together and gives her high marks for strengthening the electoral process and for her foreign policy.

... contd.