The other side of Indira Gandhi

Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi loved nature more that politics, said former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh at his book launch ‘Indira Gandhi- A Life in Nature’ over the weekend in the city.

Justice P Venkatarama Reddy, former Judge, Supreme Court launched the book along with Sharmistha Mukherjee, Congress leader and daughter of President Pranab Mukherjee, T Subbarami Reddy and artist Anju Poddar.

“Indira Gandhi was born in politics, grew up in politics and became a politician. This book is not a conventional biography of Indira Gandhi and it tells the hidden side of her love towards to save nature.

The book has more words of Indira Gandhi than me in the form of her letters to her father Jawaharlal Nehru, speeches, letters to Chief Ministers, Governors and friends. She was in love with forest, animals, birds, and mountains,” said Jairam after the book launch.

Explaining her commitment to save the nature, Jairam shared, “Indira Gandhi was not an environmental activist but she concerns about environmental and deforestation. She denied permission to the hydel project in Silent Valley (Kerala) in the 1970s only because it would harm nature. She always used to say that the environmental conservation is equally important compared to economic growth.”

Jairam also said that three-days before her assassination, Indira Gandhi wants to go Kashmir to look the change of colours of Chinar trees. “Indira Gandhi imposed ban on killing tigers in the country despite the opposition on the decision from the same party members,” said Jairam by adding, “She introduced many laws like Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and Forest Conservation Act, 1980 to save the nature.”