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From
a Dumb Wax doll to Iron Lady!
From mom ki
gudiya to ma durga it had been quite a journey until she was assassinated by her
Sikh bodyguards, who turned to be Kalistani sympathizers on 31 October 1984. Indira
Gandhi was known for her strong personality and also went to war with Pakistan
supporting the Independence Movement in East Pakistan leading to formation of
Bangladesh. The Goongi gudiya, who went on to become Iron Lady. Atal Behari Vajpayee
addressed her as Ma Durga.
When she was chosen as the leader of the Congress
party to be the first woman Prime Minister, no one gave her a chance and
opposition expected her to be weak and quit with the burden of all the issues
and problems facing a developing country. India lost two stalwarts, Nehru and
Shastri in a short span of few years. The question was who would be the next Prime
Minister of India. Kamraj, the Congress President, who didn’t approve of
Morarji Desai for his outdated ideas and opinions, became the king maker by
suggesting and putting forward the name of Indira Gandhi, a novice and whose
experience was only as the Information and Broadcasting minister under the then
Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. Indira Gandhi was not the automatic choice
of the Congress party leadership, which was dominated by a group of old
congressmen. Opposition leaders and senior politicians and her detractors such
as Morarji Desai, would often call her - Mom ki gudiya and Goongi gudiya in an
effort to undermine her.
But soon people saw glimpses of what Indira Gandhi
is capable of. She soon grasped the understanding of governance, foreign
affairs, economy and politics of the country. Indira Gandhi was the daughter of
Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India. In the Congress Party's Parliamentary
leadership election held in early 1966 caused by the death of Prime Minister
Shastri, she defeated her rival Morarji Desai to become leader, and thus
succeeded Lal Bahadur Shastri as the first woman Prime Minister of India.
As she took over as the Prime Minister, Indira
Gandhi had to face several challenges, internal as well as external. After the
Tashkent declaration and the death of Lal Bahadur Shastri in Moscow, Pakistan
felt they could pressurize India and bully the new Prime Minister Indira
Gandhi. She handled the turmoil within Congress, after the part split into two,
Congress (I) and Congress (O). Her party took charge and literally wiped out
Congress (O), which mainly consisted of old and senior congressmen. Later some
returned to her fold and others vanished from the scene. As days and months
went by, she showed strong acumen of a natural and stern leader. She was opposite of her father in terms of thinking and taking action. She had the will and guts to face tough situations internally and externally. The world looked at her and India with respect.
She was capable and faced the super power America
with aplomb. She showed the world she is a strong leader capable of handling
external challenges too. The year was 1971 and the month November. The genocide
in East Pakistan was forcing lakhs of refugees to flee and seek shelter in the
border states of India. It put enormous pressure on India. And Indira Gandhi decided
to do something about it as no major powers were willing to intervene. In fact
they were supporting Pakistan. Richard Nixon announced – If India pokes its nose in Pakistan, US
will not keep its trap shut. India will be taught a lesson.
And Indira Gandhi responded – India regards America as a friend.
Not a boss, India is capable of writing its own destiny. We know and are aware
how to deal with each one according to circumstances. Indian Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi articulated these exact words sitting with the US
President Richard Nixon in the White House, while maintaining an eye-to-eye
contact. This incident was narrated by the then Secretary of State and NSA,
Henry Kissinger, in his autobiography.
That was the day when the Indo-US joint media
address was cancelled by Indira Gandhi who walked away from the White House in
her inimitable style. Kissinger, while ushering Indira Gandhi to her car, had
commented - Madam Prime Minister, don't you feel you could have been a little more
patient with the President? Indira Gandhi replied -Thank you, Mr Secretary, for
your valuable suggestion. Being a developing country, we have our backbones
straight and enough will and resources to fight all atrocities. We shall prove
that days are gone when a power can rule and often control any nation from
thousands of miles away.
Thereafter, as soon as her Air India Boeing touched
down at Palam runway in Delhi, Indira Gandhi summoned the leader of the
opposition, Atal Behari Vajpayee to her residence. Post an hour of discussion
behind closed doors, Vajpayee was seen hurrying back. It was thereafter known
that Vajpayee would be representing India at the United Nations. For the first
time, an opposition leader would be representing his country to put forth its
views and policies.
Donald Paul of BBC had jumped in with a question to
Vajpayee - Indira ji regards you as a staunch critic. In spite of that, are you
sure you'd be at the United Nations shouting your throat out in favour of the
incumbent Government? Vajpayee had a repartee - A rose adorns a garden, so does
a Lily. Each is beset with the idea that they are individually the most
beautiful. When the garden falls in a crisis, it's no secret that the garden
has to safeguard its beauty as one. I have come today to save the garden. This
is called Indian Democracy.
The resultant history is all known to us. America
sent 270 famed Patton tanks to Pakistan. They called the world media to
demonstrate that these tanks were produced under exclusive technology, and are
thus indestructible. Their intention was very clear. This was a warning signal
to the rest of the world that no one should help India. America did not stop
here. US companies supplying to India
were told to stop supply. They were sternly told by US to cease dealing with
India anymore. India's effort thereafter was only about fighting back. Indira
Gandhi's incisive diplomacy ensured supplies from other sources..
In the western border, in the war with Pakistan,
the battle that lasted just a day and it destroyed a majority of the 270 Patton
tanks in the Thar Desert. The destroyed tanks were brought into India for
display at traffic crossings. The hot deserts of Rajasthan, still stands as a
witness where US pride was decimated. America realized India’s resolve under
Indira Gandhi and her close ally, Russia. The Bangladesh war lasted for eighteen
days with the signing of the document of surrender by Gen Niazi in charge of
East Pakistan, and thereafter culminated in the surrender of 93,000 Pakistani
soldiers as prisoners of war. Pakistan lost half its territory with the birth
of Bangladesh. Its forces had to publicly surrender to India. Mujibur Rahman
was released from Lahore Jail. Later in the month of March, Indira Gandhi
recognized Bangladesh as an independent nation in the Indian Parliament. . The
Goongi gudiya, who went on to become Iron Lady of India. In 1999, Indira Gandhi
was named 'Woman of the Millennium' by a BBC poll.
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