Being Prime Minister of India - Indira Gandhi - Congress

4 Indira Gandhi

 

Tenure: - 1) 24 January 1966 To 24 March 1977. 11 Years 59 Days.

2) 14 January 1980 To 31 October 1984. 4 Years 291 Days

Party: - INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS & CONGRESS (I)

Family and Political Background:-

Indira Gandhi was the only child of Jawaharlal Nehru. She was born on 19 November 1917 at Allahabad. She had not completed graduation due to many circumstances but she is not illiterate. She had taken education at Allahabad and Somerville College, Oxford University.

After sudden death of Lal Bahadur Shastri, there were few leaders like Morarji Desai who were eligible for Prime Minister. But due to their own clashes and disable to agree among them, as a compromise and with a thought of puppet Prime Minister, who could be easily manipulated, they selected Indira Gandhi as a successor of Lal Bahadur Shastri. They were wrong, their thought was wrong; they misjudged Smt. Indira Feroze Gandhi................

Though Indira Gandhi has to accept Morarji Desai as a Deputy Prime Minister due to slim majority in election, by showing her extraordinary skills and tenacity on political ground, she set all Congress Big leaders Kamaraj, Morarji Desai and others, out of power. Congress sidelines leaders tried to show their power and expelled Indira from the Party but Undaunted,    Indira Gandhi, joined by a majority of party members, formed a new faction around her called the “New” Congress Party. And hold Prime Minister Chair.

Work Performance:-

Indira Gandhi was shrewd politician but her performance in different sector was remarkable. She must be credited for Nationalisation of Private Bank. Nationalisation of Bank had boosted savings and helped growth rate. She has got a weak, troubled and fiscal problem economy due to War against Pakistan but she managed well. She had worked on many issues on national and international stage. She has been popular as an Iron Lady for her intensity towards work for the betterment of the Nation. Indira Gandhi was the First Prime Minister who has forced the world to take note of India on many international issues. Her work ability and attitude has moved India forward and in good shape.

Green Revolution:-

Lal Bahadur Shastri has started towards Green Revolution in India. He had also created The Food Corporation of India, under the Food Corporation's Act 1964 and The National Agricultural Products Board Act.

After Shastri’s death Indira Gandhi became Prime Minister and she took it seriously. She changed the course of the nation. During her Prime Ministership India became self-reliance Nation from an Import dependent nation.

Nationalisation of Banks:-

She had taken many crucial decisions to boost Indian economy. One of these was the nationalisation of 14 major commercial banks even after criticised by old congress leaders. This move has proved a landmark stone in Indian economy. This move has improved the geographical coverage of banks across the country. Bank branches increased after nationalisation to 62000 from 8200. It also increased household savings and investment in small and medium-size enterprises with agricultural sector also.

After bank’s nationalisation she also nationalised the coal, steel, copper, refining, cotton textiles and insurance sector to protect employment and to secure the interest of organised labour.

When international oil company refused to give oil during Pakistan war and India has to face oil crisis she also make nationalisation of oil companies. Indian Oil Corporation, the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation and Bharat Petroleum Corporation were formed in 1971. The oil companies have to keep a minimum stock for military.

First Nuclear Test:-

In response to China’s nuclear test No 6, she immediately made her mind for first nuclear test. In fact that was a dream of First Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Indira authorised the development of nuclear weapons in 1967. In 1974 when Dr Raja Ramanna assured about maturity of nuclear program, she agreed to go further and test nuclear weapon. India successfully conducted an underground nuclear test at the Indian Army Pokhran Test Range, Rajasthan. Code name was “smiling Buddha”. Indira Gandhi had put India on the international scientific stage with this first underground nuclear device explosion.

India’s first satellite Aryabhatt was also a gift of Indira Gandhi’s vision.

Opening India’s market:-

Indira Gandhi has attempted for opening India’s market and she taken first step towards it. She tried and sawed first seeds of liberalisation but half heartedly and with some hesitation. So it didn’t given any fruit.

Bangladesh:-

Indira Gandhi has made history with her extraordinary skills. In 1971 when East Pakistan freedom movement was on the peak, Indira supported this movement and initially gave indirectly support to war running between East Pakistan and Rest Pakistan. When Pakistan pushed India in complete war she didn’t look back and Indian Military forces made clear and decisive victory. New country namely Bangladesh formatted. In fact Bangladesh situation has provided her an opportunity to emerge her as a military strategist and an excellent diplomat at the stage of world. She grasped it and became the international leader. She established India as a major power and force in the world.

Close ties with the Arab world and strong ties with Soviet Union were also important features of her Foreign Policy.

Indira Gandhi was certainly successful leader in the International forum. She was emerged as head and shoulders for Third World countries.

Her slogan “Garibi Hatao” made her popular in poor people of country for short time.

Miss:-

As Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi was known for her political ruthlessness and unprecedented centralisation of power.

Though Indira Gandhi had done many good things for the country and she is known for her toughness but Country has lost many things in this ERA. Morality of the people has been corrupted due to all type tactics applied by Indira Gandhi to maintain her power. Corruption and manipulation in politics and government started. Corruption in Government services at all level increased. India entered in few most corrupted countries during her tenure. She also started one man/woman power politics. She was afraid of her party leaders also. She threw out some leaders who have good public base. She abolished democratic system in party also.

I strongly believe that ERA of Indira Gandhi has given footage on International level but at national level country and people of the country have lost many things.

Subsidy Culture:-

Indira Gandhi has started subsidy culture. Its look helpful, delightful and beneficiary to the people but it is a very harmful to the Nation and finally for people of the country.  This culture is making habit of enjoying and entertaining products and services at the lower price than actual price paid by the Nation. As for example India was paying Rupees 70/- to import petrol and was providing at Rupees 50/- to people. Now people were enjoying and entertaining vehicle driving at Rs. 50/- but nation’s burden was increasing with Rs. 20/- or whatever price on every litre of petrol used by countrymen. Same rule applied on every subsidised product and services. Now, how government will adjust this kind of lost? Of course from taxes like Income Tax, Sales Tax, and Wealth Tax and through other ways from we the people only. Subsidy culture makes nation weak day by day.

Communal Politics:-

Indira Gandhi is responsible for communal politics. She had started to play dirty play like favouring Minorities especially to Muslims for just Vote Bank, to maintain her power. But she had departed Hindu and Muslim. Hindu felt that they are facing injustice due to this kind of politics. Even today also, Congress and other parties are following Communal Politics, started by Indira Gandhi. It is really harmful to this Great Nation which has maintained secularism even after separation religion.

Sterilisation:-

Indira Gandhi had taken decision of forceful sterilisation to control the population.

Emergency:-

Due to manipulation in 1971 election, Allahabad High Court had found her guilty and she was banned for Six years from contesting any election in 1975. She went to Supreme Court but didn’t find any favourable answer. Moreover all the Anti-Indira people came closer and an atmosphere of protest was created. Here the darkest episode in Indian politics began. Indira ignored court’s order and with intense of crushing out all protest and to make silent her opponents, she imposed Emergency in 25 June 1975. Emergency lasted for 21 month with twice extension for 6 months. During emergency she censored publication media. No one can raise their voice against government. Her political foes were imprisoned, constitutional rights abrogated, and the press placed under strict censorship.  This resulted in her defeat in 1977 election.

In 1980 she came back in power due to fall of Janta Government but she has lost her charisma and up to her assassination she engaged in different issue and cases imposed on her and her son Sanjay Gandhi who died in plane crash. In the second period of her Prime Ministership, Indira Gandhi was preoccupied by efforts to resolve the political problems in the state of Punjab. In her attempt to crush the secessionist movement of Sikh militants, led by Jarnail Singh Bindranwale, she ordered an assault upon the holiest Sikh shrine in Amritsar, called the "Golden Temple", Bindranwale and his armed supporters had holed up, and it is they waged their campaign of terrorism against moderate Sikhs and Hindus. "Operation Blue star", in June 1984, led to the death of Bindranwale, and the Golden Temple was stripped clean of Sikh terrorists. On October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated, at her residence, by two of her own Sikh bodyguards.