Opinion The ‘r’ in Indira

A feisty,single woman,India’s first woman PM who made Ram Manohar Lohia regret his loose remark of her being a “dumb doll”,or a paranoid leader when she went onto declare a state of internal emergency? Aligning herself with her husband Feroze Gandhi’s ginger group,the Congress Socialist Forum,yet instrumental in ensuring the dismissal of the first elected Communist government in Kerala,then again,carved a pro-poor,Left idea about India,nationalising banks,abolishing the privy purses.

The mild-mannered,charming and very political daughter of India’s first prime minister,with her distinct voice and white streak,is not half as visible in Congress rhetoric (or on Doordarshan),as one might think a woman like her should be. Her “Gharibi Hatao” slogan of 1971,the Pokharan tests in 1974,her bank nationalisation at about the same time,her role in “dividing Pakistan” may be brought up. But otherwise,the references are subtle,sometimes so subtle that they go unremarked. Remember,that Rae Bareilly,the Congress President’s constituency,was where Indira chose to stand from after the death of her husband Feroze. The line from Phoolpur (Nehru’s constituency) was quietly allowed to slip,but never Rae Bareilly. Her daughter-in-law’s very well-maintained saree collection takes several old timers down memory lane,and they insist that even fresh purchases display the same taste,the same eclectic respect for Indian fabrics — from all parts of the country — Pochampalli,Tant,Jamdani,Paithani — everything. Eclecticism,to perhaps symbolise some of the magic cement that Indira Gandhi represented for her party.

It was not something that was a calming unifier though. Indira’s struggle to sieze control often convulsed the party. It eventually,further centralised the notion of the “high-command”. It resulted in the Congress splitting,first in 1969 and then again in later years when she threatened to snuff out any thought that betrayed anything that was mildly less than idolatory.

The Congress has reason to keep what they like out of Indira’s legacy and simply ignore the rest as if it never happened at all. Her first trip out of the country,meeting with Lyndon Johnson,when she went to negotiate food aid,was remarkable for the chemistry between her and Johnson that was much remarked upon. And then there was the other trip she made to the Soviet Union in 1971,when she secured a promise of military aid should Pakistan attack India over the Bangladesh war in 1971. Which trip should be appropriated and which must be kept quiet about ?

Her declaration of Emergency,just so that the Allahabad High Court,ruling that her election was null and void could be circumvented,which ensured so much hatred for the Congress and ensured a grand coalition against them? Or should there be talk of the fact that it was she who called for the polls and ended the monster reign between June ’75 and March ’77?

The Congress’ dilemma goes on and on — a few weeks before her killing,she heroically refused to take her security guards off-duty because they were Sikh. But how about the fact that it was she,who actively supported her son Sanjay to look for a suitable candidate to cut the Akali threat in Punjab,someone who campaigned for her candidates in the 1980 polls — Sant Bhindranwale?   

It is because of the big questions that immediately surface when any attempt to quickly recall her legacy is made,that it is felt best to keep it a little quiet. Now,Indira Awaas Yojna remains the most visible symbol of her to the average citizen. Since the 1970s,slums have called themselves Indira Nagar,some named in awe of what the Indira name meant for the poor in the early 70s and some,with memories of later times,in the hope that they would never be pulled down with an address like that.   

seema.chishti@expressindia.com