Sonia gets emotional as she remembers Indira, Rajiv

New Delhi Dec 16 (IANS) Sonia Gandhi on Saturday got emotional as she recollected the sacrifices made by her mother-in-law Indira Gandhi and husband Rajiv Gandhi for the country and said she decided to join politics when she felt "Congress was facing a crisis and communal forces were gaining strength".

"Indiraji (Indira Gandhi) accepted me as a daughter and from her I learned about the culture of this country about those principles on which this nation was founded " said Gandhi after handing over the charge of party president to her son Rahul Gandhi.

"In 1984 when she was assassinated I felt as if I had lost my own mother. That catastrophe changed forever the course of my life. I had a different view of politics at that time and I had wanted to keep my husband and children as far away from it as possible " added Sonia.

"...But a heavy responsibility fell on his shoulders (Rajiv Gandhi) and despite my pleas Rajiv ji accepted as a duty the post of Prime Minister."

Sonia added: "He worked hard day and night to fulfill this responsibility. With him I travelled to remote corners of the country came to understand something of our people s problems and the challenges facing our country.

"Then just seven years after the death of Indiraji my husband too was assassinated. I lost my anchor and my support " she said in a voice full of emotion.

Sonia said it took several years for her to recover from it. "It was many years later that I could emerge from my shell " she said.

"Only when I came to feel that the Congress was facing a crisis and that communal forces were gaining strength did I feel compelled to respond to the call of the party workers " she added.

She said: "I felt that my turning away from this summons would negate the sacrifice of my mother-in-law s life and my husband s life. So I entered politics -- to fulfill a duty to my family party and country."

--IANS
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