I am reading the biography of Indira Gandhi. I seriously have a very deep respect for the great lady.
Especially because if she had not been strong in 1971 and if she hadnt acted as tough as she had acted back then, there would would be no Bangladesh.
The kind of determination she showed is really inspiring and she had the guts to literally confront he President of America who was totally tilted towards Pakistan just because it had acted as a central pivot in their talks with China. I cant believe even in the time of crisis he acted so lame and after the war he ordered his seventh fleet to Bay of Bengal. Every other so called big country was doing nothing but asking India to wait for a peaceful solution to come up just on its own with its increasing refugee problem and they mere description of the situation was heart thumping. That was the time when Indira Gandhi with her General Manekshaw stood strong and moved into east Pakistan and Bangladesh is the result of it.
How can a country with increasing economic problems stand a draining refugee problem.
She was not siting somewhere and talking some non sense but she was out there at the refugee camps to see for herself. I really admire the guts she had to take over the world power and move in with the army. I cant believe that so called great diplomats of those great countries can be so lame and 'wait for the peaceful solution to come'.
The situation in east Pakistan was so pathetic that not even a single lady could be seen as they had all fled to Indian as refugees or they were al put in the trenches and made slaves. Such cruelty in mass was taking place right after the Jewish prosecution by the Hitler and these so called world power dint 'wait' for a peaceful solution to come up back then as of i remember.
Only she could have such guts and act swiftly and she is actually the real Iron Lady of the nation not only for India but also for Bangladesh.
No doubt that she was a great leady. However, it will good to read other books about her, especially about those periods when to secure her power and because of escalating riots, on June 26, 1975, she declared a state of emergency which limited the personal freedom of Indians. Also, she ordered the arrests of the main opposition leaders......etc
ReplyDeleteU said it! I agree with u. Well, I can c Prahlad's reservation's on the emergency, however, everything has to be looked at us from the context of that historical point of time and the socio-political situations of that existed then.
ReplyDeleteWell, on the personal side, I am happy, u have finally opened this space for ur thoughts. As I told u earlier this was long due.