President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday said Indira Gandhi is still the “most acceptable” prime minister of a democratic country. “She was one of the remarkable personalities of the 20th century all over the world,” he said. “And to the people of India, even today after her passing away, she is the most acceptable ruler or prime minister of a democratic country,” PTI reported.
He also praised her decisive style of working, which had helped the Congress under her leadership on a number of occasions. Mukherjee made the comments at the release of India’s Indira - A Centennial Tribute, which has a foreword by Congress President Sonia Gandhi and was edited by senior party leader Anand Sharma.
Mukherjee’s statement is being construed as a message for the party to make decisions faster and improve its style of functioning. His remarks come at a time when the Congress is revamping the party following a slew of election losses since 2014.
His high words for Gandhi drew a great response from the audience comprised of top Congress leaders, who are commemorating Gandhi’s birth centenary.
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, Vice President Hamid Ansari and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, were also present at the event. Speaking on behalf of Sonia Gandhi, who was unable to attend the event on account of ill health, Rahul Gandhi said “the brand of patriotism” he saw in Indira Gandhi was a “noble one she had imbibed from the freedom struggle”.
“Indira Gandhi disregarded distinctions of rank, caste and creed,” Rahul Gandhi said, reading out the party chief’s speech. “She had no time for snobbishness or ostentatious. She was quick to detect hypocrisy and insincerity. She was a proud India, but also a proud citizen of the world with a broad and tolerant outlook.”
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