Mrs Gandhi still a force in politics

Press, 6 November 1978, Page 16

Mrs Gandhi still a force in politics

India’s “Iron Lady." Mrs Indira Gandhi, faces a crucial test on her comeback trad in the by-election for the Chikmagalur constituency in Karnataka State in South India being held in early November. No one doubts her victory in this predominantly rural constituency consisting mainly of farmers, plantation and agricultural workers. These voters are mostly from the scheduled castes, tribes and other backward classes, where Mrs Gandhi’s Congress has much influence.

The seat is considered a stronghold of Mr Gandhi’s faction of the divided Congress Party. In fact, the res-

ignation of the sitting member. D B. Chandre Gowda, was to pave the way for Mrs Gandhi to return to Parliament. The State Government of Karnataka is in the hands of a Gandhi loyalist, Devraj Urs. Over the years, he has done much for the depressed castes, giving them homes, land and security. This is a major factor, at a time when the harassment of lower castes has increased in many parts of India. There have been demonstrations against Harijans

(formerly Untouchables) even in New Delhi. According to unofficial estimates, crimes against Hari-

jans, which fell tn less than 6000 in 1976, have risen to more than 10,000 in 1977. Though Mrs Gandhi’s policy of forced sterilisation was aimed mainly at the poorer classes in North India, the effect was hardly ■felt in the South. This was shown clearly in the March. 1977, election, where Mrs Gandhi lost humiliatingly in the North, but remained unscathed in the South. Also, the thousands she jailed during the Emergency were mainly from the North. Asians are notorious for having short memories and Indians are no exception. The excesses committed by Mrs Gandhi during the Emergency, as revealed by the Shah Commission, have meant little to the villagers. Newspapers are hardly read in the villages and 'radios are used more for music than for news. A Government is judged more by what one gets for one’s produce or labour, and the prices one pays for basic needs, rather than by great policies. The recent natural calamities in India, of tidal waves and large scale floods, also gave Mrs Gandhi a chance to play politics. She was.of ten first on the scene, comforting those who needed comforting, while the ruling Janata Party leaders in New Delhi were discussing what to do about the situation.

The Janata Party came to power mainly on the antiGandhi feeling in the North. The Prime Minister, Mr Morarj! Desai, and the Defence Minister, Mr Jagjivan Ram. are among the best known of the Government leaders, but their power bases remain in the North.

More recently, the alleged scandals involving Mr Desai’s son, Kanti, and Mr Ram’s son’s connections with an- arms dealer who recently helped sell British arms to India, have hurt the Janata image. There have been many interna! squabbles and their failure to tackle basic problems has led to much disillusionment. Mrs Gandhi faces possible criminal charges for excesses committed during her emergency rule, but she is definitely oh the comeback trail. Her victory' in the byelection will also assure her of the post of Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. Such an elevation may also prompt defections from the Janata Government benches to her side. Mrs Gandhi may also be gambling on the fact that the Government would find it difficult to strip her of civic rights, if she is elected the Leader of the Opposition. The Prime Minister may have a puritan reputation, but Mrs Gandhi's dimunitive glamour, plus her raw down to earth quality to win the confidence of the lower castes, coupled with a little bit of aristocracy, is still effective tn India.