TRIBUTE

Down the Memory Lane

Independence struggle was at its peak but most of the Indian states were still loyal to the British. The rulers did not know the meaning of democratic principles and were autocratic. Kot-Kapura, a flourishing township, earlier ruled by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, in Faridkot state, where Praja Mandal was established on 29th March, 1931, witnessed terror let loose by the police.

A 12-year old boy Chander Shekhar Azad hoisted the Congress Tri-colour on a neem tree in the grain market on 8th April, 1946 at Faridkot alongwith his friends. Police beat the boys mercilessly and tore the flag. There was resentment and a satyagraha started. On 28th April again some people tried to hoist it but could not do so. People were again beaten up, arrested, put into jails.

Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru came to know of the flag agitation and arrived at Faridkot on 27th May, 1946. There was a mass upsurge. Nehruji tore the arrest warrants and succeeded in hoisting the flag at the same place. I was then a schoolgirl, my father told me that Nehruji’s daughter Indira was also coming with him. He took me along to see her; I was sitting in the front row. I do not know what Nehruji said but I looked only at a slim and beautiful girl with short and straight hair, I did not know that the future of India was hidden in those very eyes and if I could ever meet her again, but the day established a link, a liking, a fascination.

On 29th December, 1969, at the A.I.C.C. session at Bombay, Congress got split. I was member of the reception committee. My children asked me to get an autograph of Smt. Indira Gandhi. When I went near her and asked for an autograph, I was taken aback. "I do not give autograph for free, reach me through work", she told me. Yashpal Kapoor saw my frustration and told me to meet him when I visited Delhi and he will get it done. Since my brother and sister were settled in Delhi since 1947, Delhi was my second home. I always visited Delhi during vacations but I never got a chance to see Smt. Indira Gandhi.

In 1977, Congress was defeated at the polls and Smt. Indira Gandhi shifted to 12, Willingdon Crescent. After her arrest in October 1977, I went to her and asked, if I could be of any help? R.K. Dhawan told her to put me in the news section. I prepared files on different subjects and kept the clippings. News about her in foreign press, Washington Post, London Times, etc. were cut and shown to her, clippings sent by Don Morass and S. Nihal Singh were brought to her notice.

Before her London visit in November 1978 as a guest of Swarj Paul, she was given a statistical data on crimes, atrocities, student strikes during the Janta rule and clippings on issues of national importance were also given.

One day she was standing in the verandah with a group of persons wanting to have photograph with her. She called me to stand near her, and asked me to straighten my sari. This photo is a reminder of her eye for details.

During the 2nd split in January 1978, I prepared lists of persons who joined her and her office functioned from the residence of Kamlapati Tripathi before moving to 24 Akbar Road. On 2nd February, 1978 when cow and calf symbol was taken away, she was amused to receive a similar clay toy from me and kept it in her drawing room. These small gestures and memories haunt my mind, when I remember her as a person and not as a ruler but a great world leader.

- Smt. Pritam Arora