AN AMAZING WOMAN
The best tribute to Sonia Gandhi is from a long time admirer of Gandhi family- the irrepressible sardar Khushwant Singh who said " we were all born Indians but Sonia chose to be an Indian". Questions about her nationality were raised by BJP and sangh Parivar, Sharad Pawar and some of his followers also broke ranks with Congress Party questioning the wisdom of her claim to be the Prime minister of India, Jayalalitha referred to her as Antonio Miano her maiden name in her election speeches but the woman was unmoved. She spoke very little but whenever she did it was with a purpose. She is credited for the RTI legislation and NREGS which has considerably reduced poverty levels in rural India. She has been instrumental in cobbling together a workable majority for UPA dispensation and made friends with CPM bosses who were strident critics of her late Husband. She has single handedly carried the burden of rejuvenating a demoralized party and has displayed her abundant talent in consultative and consensual politics. It was she who ordered Narayan Dutt Tiwari to hang his boots following his sexual misdemanours , she forgave Pawar and company despite their high decibel vitriolic campaign
and has had a sober presense in UPA meetings whenever differences erupted among constituents of the front.
However the greatest achievement of her has been the Reservation for women in Parliament and Legislative Assemblies. Just when a handful of rogue MPS of Mandal brigade chose to disrupt all proceedings in the Rajya Sabha, she conveyed to her party that she wanted the bill to be passed come what may. She has explained that she understood the compulsions of the Yadav triokia but observed that those who are obsessed with the idea of quota for minorities and OBCs within this quota could very well nominate people from such backgrounds in their official list and no sub quota is needed. Reservation on the basis of religion has no constitutional sanction and also reservation for OBC is also not mandated under Constitution.
I remember it was Dhar who said Indira Gandhi is the sole male member in her cabinet that description suits her daughter in law too
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