Today happens to be Indira Gandhi’s death anniversary and Sardar Patel’s birthday. I grew up learning Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru’s birthdays and then Indira Gandhi’s birthday. By the time Rajiv Gandhi became the Prime Minister, I lost interest in the Nehru family and I had moved into college so thankfully never learnt his birthday. I am told today’s school children also learn about Rahul Gandhi …. I wonder where they found anything worthwhile about him besides the date he was born on.
The point is, the Congress party and the Nehru dynasty ensured that post independence generations only knew about the first family and no other leader !!
The idea of India that Rahul Gandhi spouted mindlessly was created by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He would have turned his face away in the spirit world when this phrase was used by the great grandson of his compatriot Nehru. It seems like an amazing coincidence by the Universe that two really tough people came and left on the same date. I wrote the following blog last year on Sardar Patel and I was lamenting the fact that we didn’t have tall leaders like him anymore. Thank God for our current PM, Narendra Modi – no one can call him a wimp and whatever his detractors might say, the man is genuinely committed to making India a glorious nation. His methods will be criticized, he will be criticized, and it’s good – we need differing thoughts, but atleast he is visible, he is making significant changes, he has brought enthusiasm and hope and he doesn’t have a dynasty that he can perpetuate.
Our PM has also brought some of our past leaders out of the dusty corners of history and suddenly we realise that it wasn’t Gandhiji and Nehru alone who managed to win us the freedom from the British, but countless other true leaders who also led crucial movements. I am hoping that these leaders also regain their prime places in the modern history of India, and their contributions acknowledged because they have really put their heart and soul into making our nation.
Remembering Indira Gandhi and Sardar Patel today. Jai Hind.