MUMBAI, January 22: For Sakuntala, an old woman from Kantila with blurred vision and unable to tell her own name, the legacy of the Gandhis, Indira and Rajiv, is still fresh in her memory.Even after nearly a decade-and-a-half of her death, Indira Gandhi is still the `Indira Ma' for Sakuntala. Perhaps the vast political changes all along failed to erode her love for the former prime minister.
For her, Sonia Gandhi and her identity is nothing but the daughter-in-law of Indira Gandhi and wife of Rajiv Gandhi. Holding a placard in her hand bearing the picture of Sonia Gandhi and standing in the hot sun for hours at the airport, Sakuntala bears ample testimony to the innumerable rural populace for whom, Indira was someone very special.
Siye to aama pari stri loka te (she is a woman like us) was the pulse vibrating in the hearts of hundreds of women who were waiting at the city airport on Tuesday just to have a glimpse of Sonia Gandhi who came here as a part of her second leg of campaign.
Golak
Nayak of Minchingpatna does not recognise Sonia Gandhi and even does not know who she is. Perhaps for these poor Golaks, the vast changes that have taken place over the years from the era of the Mahatma to that of the Gandhis are beyond their comprehension. They, for whom the title `Gandhi' is fresh in their memory, seemingly give an impression that Gandhis could rule the country and only they can.
But do the present day generation of Congress leaders, who also continue to have the `Gandhi legacy' hangover, are true to the spirit of these people except dumping them at the airport and rally points for a day's meal.
Governments and parties are no business for Gopal Krishna Pradhan, a resident of Mendhasal in Khurda district. His bitter statements, Sarakara jiye kale bi, aame helu praja (irrespective of the party forming the government, we will continue to be the common men) and ``can we get rid of our miseries'' speaks volumes of his lack of faith in the successive governments over the years.
Even
this man, whose life is an ocean of miseries, was struggling hard at the Kalinga Stadium for a chance to catch a glimpse of Sonia and Priyanka. Pradhan, an illiterate, rushed to Bhubaneswar on hearing that some Gandhi is coming. "I heard that some Gandhi is coming and so I came to see."
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
