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Tale Of Two Legacies: BLOOD BATH OVER IRON ICONS, By Poonam I Kaushish, 1 Nov, 2014 Print E-mail

Political Diary

New Delhi, 1 November 2014

Tale Of Two Legacies

BLOOD BATH OVER IRON ICONS

By Poonam I Kaushish

 

This is a tale of two legacies, two iconic Iron leaders born in the same era but 42 years and 19 days apart. Independent India’s first Home and Dy Prime Minister Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (31 October 1875-15 December 1950) and the country’s third and only woman Prime Minister Iron Lady Indira Gandhi (19 November 1917-31 October 1984). While the former was Mahatma Gandhi’s key aide in the long fight for independence and popular choice to lead the Congress, Gandhi anointed Nehru. The latter was groomed by a doting father to take over the Congress leadership from him. Sixty seven years post Independence, the Sardar’s memory is a fading dream overshadowed by Indira’s larger-than-life persona. Not anymore, if Prime Minister Modi has his way and say.

 

The run-up to the celebrations of the 139th birth anniversary of Sardar christened as 'Rashtriya Ekta Divas' for bringing 542 princely States under one India had elements of high drama: Raisina Hill offices were closed a day earlier, a pledge-taking ceremony for the country’s unity administered in Government offices followed by a ‘Run for Unity’ at New Delhi’s India Gate with Prime Minister leading the race.

 

This was replicated in State Capitals with the security forces holding a March Past in the evening. Undeniably, the Saffron agenda seems clear: Try to erase 31st October as Indira Day and replace it with Patel.

 

Predictably, an angry Congress upset that the BJP had not only appropriated all its icons, including Gandhi, but also rubbished its pantheon of deities as superfluous hit back for trying to erase history. Indira and her sacrifice don’t need anyone’s patronage. Nobody can tear down our leaders legacy, be it Patel or Indira. Has the BJP forgotten that Patel banned the RSS?  Sour grapes, what?

 

Raising a moot point: why? Can’t the two national icons coexists and share space? Is the Government’s tribute to Patel as much a mark of respect as it is about giving a short shrift to Indira's martyrdom?  True, the Congress stooped to petty levels by ensuring history books only carried sacrifices by the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty. Of Indira and son Rajiv assassination for the country and Sonia’s “tyaag” forsaking the Prime Minstership.

 

But two wrongs do not make a right. It is justifiable that Modi is only trying to correct history to ensure Patel gets his due share and his contribution to India’s unity is recorded and given the credit he deserves. However is that reason enough for the BJP hit back with pettiness? Undoubtedly, both Patel and Indira have played a great role in building modern India.

 

The BJP in Modi’s defence avers that the Union Government has decided to only commemorate and celebrate Mahatma Gandhi’s anniversaries leaving other national leaders to respective Parties, hence the Prime Minister did not go to Indira’s memorial Shakti Sthal to participate in the prayer meeting on her 30th death anniversary.

 

But he is skidding on thin ice given his predecessors including compatriot Vajpayee made it point to mark their presence. It is for the first time in three decades that Indira’s anniversary has been relegated to the back burner.

 

Either which way, it seems like a political masterstroke. Modi who makes no bones of his admiration for the Sardar is busy molding himself as India’s 21st century’s Loh Purush and trying to correct all historical slights whereby for decades Patel was made to remain in the shadows of Gandhi-Nehru duo topped by Gandhiji’s sacrifice for the “glamorous” Nehru to lead Independent India.

 

Besides,, by invoking the Sardar’s mammoth contribution of uniting 544 princely States to the Indian Union, nation-building and political regeneration, Modi is trying to re-instill national pride. And through this underscore Patel’s leather tough and no nonsense pragmatism combined with statecraft, flattery, coercion and whatever it took to forge a united nation-state.

 

By raking up the contentious issue of Article 370, the Prime Minister is highlighting Nehru’s major blunder in Kashmir to the acute discomfiture of the Congress. Remember, he refused to let Patel handle Kashmir, worse didn’t heed Patel’s advise to fully integrate the State with India instead of imposing Article 370 granting the State special status.

 

Furthermore, Modi has merely given a national colour to earthy and extraordinary Patel sandwiched between Gandhi's lofty and stubborn idealism and Nehru's westernized liberalism. The construction of Sardar’s 182-metre tall Statue of Unity at Gujarat’s Sadhu Island is in line with the long-pending contribution of this great leader.  

 

Perhaps, this is the Prime Minister’s way for avenging twelve years of persecution over the Godhra riots and being dubbed the maut ka saudagar. Call it coincidence or what you may, but he simultaneously announced ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakhs each to the kith and kin of the 2733 victims of the anti-Sikh carnage following Indira’s death. 

 

Coming to Indira Gandhi, she epitomized the stuff leaders are made off, including the capacity to be a butcher when the need arose. Hailed by ex-Prime Minister Vajpayee, then BJP Leader of Opposition as Durga after India’s victory in the 1971 war with Pakistan she was the only man in her Government. None dared oppose her and if someone did he would be cut to size in no time. Resulting in Congress President Deb Barooah hailing her as ‘India is Indira, Indira is India.

 

She was the first icon of a modern India who symbolized ruthlessness and a defiant exercise of power thanks to her resolve, strength and patriotism. Remember, like true leaders she gambled her political career by taking on the powerful Party Syndicate of senior leaders in 1967 who derisively called her a “goongi gudiya”, split the Party and emerged victorious.

 

Therein she chose to control the Congress from New Delhi by converting it into an organization of yes men who owed loyalty only to her and her alone. The sole criteria being sycophancy. Thus small and petty leaders were handpicked by her and propelled to the centrestage.

 

Moreover, she had an uncanny astute political sixth sense. Her return to power in 1980 took wings post her elephant ride to Belchi in Bihar the scene of horrific Dalit massacres. Or courting Bhindranwale one day and triggering Operation Blue Star the next. Till her death on 31 October 1984, there was no stopping the Indira hurricane. 

 

Besides, she not only manipulated the system to achieve her goal but also demolished democratic institutions to achieve her goals. Yet she continues to be worshipped by the aam aadmi even today. Busloads throng Indira Amma’s memorial at New Delhi’s Safdarjung Road every day.

 

But more than that she was a true democrat and nationalist. True, she imposed Emergency in 1975 after Justice Jagmohan Sinha of the Allahabad High Court set aside her election, but she was uncomfortable with it. Recall, she not only lifted the Emergency but called for elections in 1977. After her defeat, she gracefully demitted office.

 

In sum as a tattered Congress clings to Indira Amma and Modi has tacitly claimed ownership of the original Loh Purush  it would be misleading to reduce their  legacies to a tu-tu-mein-mein. Both were true blue nationalists who were not infallible. Hail our heroic icons! ------ INFA

 

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

 

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