Extracts from President Pranab Mukherjee’s Indira Gandhi Centennial Lecture delivered on November 19:
Indiraji was a remarkable personality of the 20th century. Serving as Prime Minister for around 16 years, Indiraji was a key architect of modern India. She played a major role in shaping our country’s destiny during a critical period in history. She was unflinching in her concern for the poor and the disadvantaged and she championed their cause with rare intensity. She was a crusader for global peace, a just economic order and disarmament.
Above divisions
During her life, she rose above all divisions of religion, caste, community and creed. As a result, she was loved universally by all sections of people and across the length and breadth of our country. I recall how when the decision to undertake ‘Operation Bluestar’ was taken, she was cautioned that it would bring her the hatred of extremist elements and the anger of a large section of the Sikh community. I remember vividly her sombre but determined words, “I know of the consequences.” Indiraji was clear that she and the Government had no other option.
Congress president
It was at the Nagpur Session of the Indian National Congress in 1959 that Indiraji was first called upon to assume the leadership of the Congress party. She was then only 42 years old. During the 11 months of her presidentship, she quickly proved her mettle, demonstrating independence of thought and an ability to take hard decisions even in the face of disagreement with her elders and other top leaders of the party.
With Shastriji’s death in 1966, the country was faced with the question of who should lead the nation. Shri K. Kamaraj Nadar, then President of the Indian National Congress, suggested the name of Indira Gandhi as Prime Minister. Indiraji was ready to accept the offer and prepared for a contest, if needed. A group of leaders did not agree with this proposal as they doubted the quality of leadership and firmness of Indiraji. Ultimately, a contest for the leadership of the Congress Parliamentary Party became inevitable. Morarji Desai, then a senior and established leader, decided to contest against her. Indiraji boldly took up the challenge and she was elected leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party securing 355 votes out of 526 with a majority of 186 over her rival.
Indiraji was unwavering and resolute in her support for the liberation struggle in East Pakistan. She took tremendous risk given the fact that Pakistan was being supported by the United States and China. In an act of sabre rattling, the U.S. sent its seventh fleet into the Bay of Bengal. Indiraji neither buckled under pressure from the U.S. nor fell victim to the posturing of China. She showed that she was a leader with nerves of steel, fully equipped to lead India through any challenge. Indiraji combined bold and quick decision making with careful planning, adequate preparations and single-minded focus to liberate Bangladesh. She scripted thereby a unique chapter in the world and India’s history.
Emergency
A spate of popular agitations and the JP Movement led to the imposition of the Emergency from June 25, 1975 to March 21, 1977. Sufficient literature is available on the Emergency and I do not want to enter into a debate on the subject. My views are already recorded in Volume I of my memoirs — The Dramatic Decade – The Indira Gandhi Years .
The Congress party split for a second time in 1978 and Indiraji lost the official name of the party, its flag, all its bank accounts, the party headquarters as well as election symbol to the Reddy Congress. The Congress party was so short of resources that we had to sell photographs of Indiraji to make money. We charged Rs. 2 for every autograph and Rs. 5 for every autographed photograph.
Her return to power was the result of hard work, persistent raising of issues that concern the public and effective communication of her vision of development and progress to the people at large.
History records that Indiraji was India’s second longest serving Prime Minister having served continuously for 11 years and two months from 1966 to 1977 and then again for four years and eight months from 1980 to 1984. It was in Indiraji’s time that India became the third largest reservoir of skilled scientific and technical manpower, the fifth military power, the sixth member of the nuclear club, the seventh in the race for space and the tenth industrial power.
The lessons that we must learn from the life and legacy of Indiraji is that every defeat can be turned into a stepping stone for success. Even the impossible can become possible.
For the full text of the President’s lecture, visit http://presidentofindia. nic.in/speeches-detail. htm?571
