MUSCAT, 24 May 2004 — May 13 was a great day for the people of India as their country witnessed an extraordinary event and a historic moment in its political process. On that day, the Congress party under Sonia Gandhi achieved a deserved victory.
Sonia Gandhi, however, surprised the people of India by rejecting the post of prime minister, despite strong pressure from supporters of her party. Instead, she nominated former finance minister — the architect of India’s economic reforms and a man with wide experience and great qualities — Manmohan Singh, for the post. After being sworn in by President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Singh outlined his government’s priorities and future plans in which the Kashmir crisis and strengthening relations with Pakistan were high on the agenda.
Congress had been out of power for eight years, during which time it was able to restructure and promote itself, outlining an ambitious program to serve the nation and its people in a better way. Driven by this goal, the Congress party re-emerged under the new leader and giant of India, Sonia Gandhi.
In fact, the outstanding performance of the Congress party in the elections surprised many political pundits. Congress is the grand old party of India and it has an impressive list of achievements. Even when it was out of power, the party extended full support to the government in all its attempts to narrow differences with Pakistan.
The whole of India is now looking to Congress to deliver the goods and to meet the practical needs and aspirations of the people, especially those who belong to the lower strata of society. Congress has come back to the forefront, thanks to the honest people who love India and who dedicated themselves to the country that is renowned and respected for its rich history, culture and civilization.
The leader, Sonia Gandhi, is standing tall; happy yet determined to continue the nation-building process. She is the daughter-in-law of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi — who was the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister — and widow of Rajiv Gandhi, who, too, was prime minister of the country. She is a member of a family that has contributed three prime ministers.
Love of the country is part of her character. Sonia Gandhi has raised the gharibi hatao gharibonse (eradicate poverty from the poor) slogan of her mother-in-law, Indira Gandhi. Throughout her election campaign, Sonia had been calling for the elimination of poverty and betterment of the plight of the poor. All this shows her strong link with the people and her commitment to the cause of the struggling class.
Sonia Gandhi’s party came to power as people registered their trust in the form of votes in a unique democratic exercise that cannot be found elsewhere in the world, including the US, a country that claims to be democratic. India embodies the highest point of true democracy because Sonia Gandhi could take her party to power despite the fact that she was born in Italy. Nevertheless, the people’s trust is her password to open the doors of power, leading India — the country of civilization and technology — to a bright, new era.
— Essa bin Mohammed Al-Zedjali is editor in chief of The Times of Oman.
