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New Delhi:
President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was upset with many diktats issued
by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during emergency, and at one time,
he even forced her to apologies for son Sanjay Ganhi's
misbehavior, Wikileaks shows in an US cable.
Wikileaks shows in an US embassy
cable, sent on August 6, 1976, that there was disaffection brewing
between Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and President Fakhruddin Ali
Ahmed during the Emergency.
"Fakhruddin is concerned that the PM and her son are pushing too
hard on the political and Constitutional system of India," the
cable said.
"We have reason to believe that at
least some of this has a ring of truth. Fakhruddin indeed does
seem to be uncomfortable with some of Mrs Gandhi's actions and
certainly with those of her son," the cable said.
The cable noted, "A version attributes Fakhruddin's pique to
a request by Sanjay that he provide a statement for the opening
issue of Sanjay's new magazine, Surya.
The President
allegedly turned down as inappropriate and unusual. Sanjay is said
to have responded with unkind words about the President which were
reported to him, led to his complaining to Indira Gandhi, and
ultimately to the PM's offer of an apology on behalf of her son
who declined to apologize."
One version, the cable reported, is that the PM asked Fakhruddin
to arrange for Vice-President B D Jatti to resign, "since he had
been too quiet in praise of the Emergency." The cable said: "In
his place, the PM wanted to place former defence minister Swaran
Singh. Fakhruddin allegedly expressed his strong reluctance to go
along with such a scenario."
Another version is that the "PM told the President she wished her
entire cabinet to resign so that she could replace many of the
older ministers with younger, more vigorous, and fresher minded
individuals. Fakhruddin allegedly expressed grave concern over any
plan for the wholesale disposal of senior Congress colleagues on
the grounds this would jeopardize Congress unity."
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