Edvige Antonia Albina Màino came to India as lover of Rajeev Gandhi along
with a return ticket to Italy; her father was sure that her exotic love affair will
be overwhelmed by the reality in India. The skeptical Antonia showed her first
sign of steel in her when she did not choose to use the return ticket, instead
chose to turn Sonia Gandhi for ever; still she was holding on to her passport.
Many conspiracy
theorists like, Subramnyam Swamy mischievously
use it to portray her as a spy.
But, such jokes apart, the reality must be lying with the fact that Rajeev was never
considered as a political material by Indira; and he was flying mostly on
international route on Maharaja as a Pilot. So, naturally for Sonia it would
have been easy to dream to settle in Europe than to turn a widow in India.
As time went by, Sonia
became the duaghter-in-law (BAHU) and mother to two kids. But still she held on to her
passport, that means she was holding on to her name Edvige Antonia Albina
Màino too.
Is that a
big deal?
Many independent ladies hold on to their family names and such
instances are numerous. So, it was not an unusual act by that standard. What
was important was that she never had to use the return ticket her orthodox
Catholic father wished her to use. She was turning out to be a perfect “BAHU”
in Indian sense leaving in a joint family with Sanjay and Menaka.
It was
until the death of Sanjay, the political heir apparent of Indira, the joint
family could live together. As Indira wanted to fill her vacuum with Rajeev,
the model turn “BAHU” Menaka felt insecure and she chose to leave the family
for ever in a very controversial situation.
Anyone
should be able to conclude that Sonia proved to be quite a “BAHU” in contrast to Menka who was an Indian by birth and culture.
As, Sonia
became more sure about her hubby’s political stake in Congress, she decided to
detach her last Italian connection by dumping Italian passport and having an
Indian one. That means, in 1983, Edvige
Antonia Albina Màino officially became Sonia Gandhi, an Indian citizen.
If Menaka
had lost her husband, Sonia who had already lost Italian connection, as would
fate decide, had to lose her best friend and mother-in-law Indira and then her
reason to be an Indian, Rajeev.
Look at the
comparison, Menka left Gandhi family even born as an Indian, but with these
murderous tragedies, Sonia chose to remain a Gandhi family member. Any meek
hearted would have escaped India, but no, she showed her steely resolve of an
Indian BAHU.
Imagine if
Indira can be killed and Rajeev can be turned into pieces, what was Sonia? She
fought that constant threat surrounding her family; and still she remained a
GANDHI.
Remember,
she was a vulnerable Gandhi till 1997, when she decided that she can not ignore
the state of Congress for which she has lost everything. By doing, that she yet
again proved what an Indian BAHU must
do for her family.
She fought against a male dominated political race for the post
of the Party President in Indian National Congress by winning 98% of votes.
With that legitimacy, Sonia did not look behind. Since, she has emerged as the
most powerful politician in India. Her renunciation of the PM post of the
republic of India was both a stamp of Indian ethos and political sagacity.
Like a Bahu, she has faced everything and
never shown any inclination to ESCAPE like another BAHU Menaka did. One is from
Italy, another is from India, but they reacted differently to similar
situations.
So, when a
BAHU has performed her lifelong duties towards her Sasural, how can some
outsiders call for her to be sent back to Italy without clothes? Is this Indian
culture?
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