Law Kumar Mishra
Today is the birthday of Mrs Indira Gandhi who changed geography, redefined economics.
She helped creation of Bangladesh, got Sikkim merged as another state in India, nationalised coal mines and commercial banks, abolished privy purses of the kings and queens.
Mrs Indira Gandhi had arrived at Patna to attend the birth centenary celebrations of Raja Ram Mohan Ray at Botanical Garden (now Sanjay Gandhi zoo) near Raj Bhawan. Among those present at airport was Mahendra Pratap, her class friend in the UK and then VC of Patna University.
During 1977 election (Lok Sabha) campaign, she addressed the hostile audience from the stage opposite BISCOMAN building. She left the meeting in a huff when tomatoes and eggs were hurled from the southern end (Maurya Hotel).
At a press conference at Raj Bhawan, reporters asked her (54 me se kitne seate Congress ko milengi). Before PM could react, the then PCC chief said ” pachas (fifty)”. Mrs Gandhi was visibly furious and told Kesri ji (abhi aapne Gandhi Maidan me dekha ande phenke gaye, phir bhi pachas), and she literally threw away the plate of snacks.
In 1982, she had come to Gujarat for an aerial survey of the areas of Saurashta devastated by super cyclone. She later held a meeting with the officers and ministers at Airport. Rajiv Gandhi, then party general secretary was also present and she explained her son the nature of super cyclone, storm and typhoon.
While returning to Delhi, she went to the enclosure where top industrialists, ministers and leaders were standing to she her off. A leading textile industrialist greeted her. She politely told the industry leader “… bhai, aaj kal aap hamari party se naraj lagte hain!) The industrialist replied (madam, abhi Maine Barot saheb ko diye the). At about 9 pm, the news agency from Delhi flashed “deputy finance minister has been dropped from the Cabinet”. Mr Maganbhai Barot, MP from Ahmedabad was deputy finance minister and he was also accompanying PM back to Delhi.
She had come to INS Balsura (Jamnagar) and after ceremonial programme, she was taking her meal when an young Naval officer approached her for group photograph, she instantly obliged by saying “it may be ten minutes for me, but for those youngmen, a life time experience”. She did share even snacks.
In 1978, she had gone to Belchi to meet the Dalits whose families were killed by a group of landlords. Ex PM had no state VIP car, her jeep was driven by Munna Shahi, then Youth Congress leader. She rode an elephant to reach the village. On her return, she addressed a press conference at Circular Road residence of Jagannath Mishra and alleged there was chaos, anarchy, lawlessness, prices were rising. She claimed Janta government has failed on all fronts.
As a reporter, I asked her “Can government impose emergency? Her one liner was, “do you think they will emergency”.
Sadhu Sharan Singh was Congress MLC and called her Didi. Once in his return from New Delhi, he told reporters “She asked about Abdul Ghaffor and I told her Ghafoor saheb humko gaali dete hain aur wah bhi Behan wala. Didi bahut dukh hota hai“. CM tenure was cut short.
Once she asked Jagannath Mishra to get a particular party woman leader nominated to Vidhan Parishad. CM put doubts on the nominee’s credentials and PM reprimanded him for having unfair view on woman leaders, woman was nominated.
There was a serious communal riot at Biharsharif. As was the practice then, ministers and chief ministers used to be at Palam airport to see and receive the PM during their tour abroad.
Jagannath Mishra also went to Delhi as PM was scheduled to leave for Russia. Bihar CM inquired about her departure time, RK Dhawan told him that she had gone to Biharsharif and would leave for Moscow late in the night. Bihar CM returned in the state plane and rushed to Biharsharif. PM was meeting the injured in hospital. When PM saw the CM, she inquired “aap kahan the, deri hui‘. CM reply that he was campaigning in a by election could not convince her.
On her return to Raj Bhawan, she wanted to talk to the Home Minister, but could be contacted due to telecom traffic congestion. She could contact her communication minister C M Stephen and asked to improve telecom. As a punishment, head of Bihar telecom was transferred to North East and from that day, system of temporary tele-exchange set up even behind the PM public meetings stage started when mobile or hot line was not there.
(The author is a senior journalist based at Patna in Bihar)
