|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sonia Gandhi: Tryst with
India
The book is divided into six sections—Pre-marriage Days, Post-marriage Days, Entry into Politics, Parliamentary Life, Election Show-down and Governance. It begins by describing Mrs Gandhi’s pre-marriage days. Quite a few details given in this chapter about Sonia and Rajiv Gandhi’s romance are well known. What many may not know is that when Indira Gandhi sought to meet Sonia during her visit to London on the occasion of Nehru Exhibition, she panicked. Rajiv Gandhi had to make an excuse and the scheduled meeting was cancelled. Sonia, however, did meet Indira on another day. Mrs Gandhi first came to India on January 13, 1968, and stayed with the Bachchans at their Wellingdon Crescent house and spent the days at 1, Safdarjung Road, until marriage. Although Rajiv avoided the rough and tumble of politics, the author talks about the "burdens of power" that both Rajiv and Mrs Gandhi were aware of, especially after Sanjay Gandhi was killed in a plane crash. The apprehensions came true on October 31, 1984, when her own security guards assassinated Indira. Rajiv was asked to become Prime Minister. To Mrs Gandhi’s pleadings not to accept the post, Rajiv said he had no choice. He was sworn-in as Prime Minister in the evening. After Rajiv won the 1984 election, Mrs Gandhi travelled with him to the remotest areas of India and experienced the depth of feeling people had for the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty. The author’s tendency to sing paeans to Mrs Gandhi is visible throughout the book. "Sonia moulds herself so nicely that she can be fit under any situation (sic)." And, "She never likes showy dress." Mrs Gandhi’s entry into politics is described with much fanfare with expressions like, "The Nehru dynasty is indispensable for the Congress." Besides, "Sonia’s dignified behaviour, enigmatic image and towering personality fascinate all." There are ridiculous mentions like, "Although Priyanka is busy with her kids, she speaks to her mother several times in a day." Mrs Gandhi first stepped into parliamentary life in 1991 by winning the election from Amethi. She subsequently became Leader of the Opposition. The author also deals with the issue of Mrs Gandhi’s foreign origin, adding that the Supreme Court settled the matter once and for all when it categorically ruled that the foreign origin couldn’t be a disqualification for holding a constitutional post. He also quotes Mrs Gandhi, saying, "I am an Indian and nobody can snatch away my Indianness from me." The rest of the book is devoted to the "shock and surprise" of the 2004 general election when defying exit and opinion polls and the popular perception, particularly of the urban middle class, the Congress emerged victorious. According to Sarkar, "Sonia alone is the architect of the party’s victory." He discusses in detail the ‘stop Sonia’ campaign when "the very thought of Sonia becoming Prime Minister made people having leanings towards the Sangh Parivar see red." "The post of Prime Minister is not my aim. My inner voice tells me that I decline the post", with these words Mrs Gandhi announced before the CPP her decision not to accept the top post and named Manmohan Singh for the job. According to the author, "Since Mahatma Gandhi refused to lead Independent India’s first government, no other leader had made so great an act of renunciation". He cannot overcome the last temptation of addressing Mrs Gandhi directly at the end of the book when he says, "You be a source of inspiration for party men all the time and continue to serve the country for a long time—this is what I wish." The last chapter of the book is devoted to the issue of governance. It discusses among other things Mrs Gandhi’s resignation on March 23, 2006, from the Lok Sabha as well as from the National Advisory Committee (NAC) on the issue of holding ‘office of profit’ while remaining an MP. In less than a month, Mrs Gandhi won the by-election from Rae Bareli with a record margin and returned to Parliament. The book is replete with grammatical mistakes and proofing errors. Talking about the 1989 general election, it says, "His (Rajiv Gandhi’s) dream got shuttered mid-way". At another place, it is mentioned, "To ameliorate the sufferings of the poor and the needy, she (Mrs Gandhi) holds durbar at her residence. Many disgruntled soles come to her for help." Even Sriperumbudur is spelt as Seriperimbudur. Sarkar’s unalloyed admiration, sometimes bordering on sycophancy, for his subject overrides the extensive research he has done to put the book together. It remains though a good read—warts and all—to acquaint oneself with Mrs Gandhi’s political journey.
|
THE book is a panegyric on
Sonia Gandhi. It performs the task—of describing her political life—
reasonably well but for the author’s tendency to put his exuberant
seal of approval on every action and gesture of Mrs Gandhi. On tackling
corruption, poverty and crime in the country, the author says, "She
is with the task (sic) almost as impossible as climbing the Mt Everest
but doing her best for that."