New Delhi: Congress President Sonia Gandhi is still Italian in her mannerisms, speech and interests, despite her carefully erected Indian persona, according to an Indian Embassy cable leaked by online whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks.
The confidential document titled "A garrulous Sonia Gandhi opens up to Maria Shriver" summarises an hour-long conversation Gandhi had with California's first lady on August 3, 2006 on women's issues, Indian politics and some aspects of her private life.
"Deeply hurt by personal tragedy, she (Gandhi) has erected a strong and stoic persona to prevent public access to her personal space. Whenever she spoke of the deaths of her husband and mother-in-law, she struggled to keep her emotions in check," the document stated.
"Despite her carefully erected Indian persona, her basic Italian personality is clearly evident in her mannerisms, speech and interests. She presents an intriguing enigma of a warm private personality that remains concealed and is available only to her closest confidants and family members," it said.
Often detached and withdrawn when in public, a relaxed Gandhi also spoke at great length of her personal loss after the assassination of her husband, former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991.
"At times suppressing her emotions, she spoke about the compulsions of political life, her parents' objections to her marriage to Rajiv Gandhi and the sacrifices she and her family have made. Her comments and demeanor put the lie to cocktail party suggestions that she courts Manmohan Singh's job."
She revealed that after her mother in law's death, Rajiv Gandhi was under intense pressure to take up the political mantle of the Gandhi family, but both Rajiv and Sonia were intensely personal and had no interest in politics.
According to Gandhi, she urged her husband repeatedly to avoid politics, but he insisted. After Rajiv Gandhi became Prime Minister, Sonia was determined to avoid the limelight and "kept in the background."
She clarified that she accompanied her husband to official events, but refrained from making political statements. After her husband's assassination, Gandhi withdrew, working only on a charitable foundation established in Rajiv's memory.
In a candid revelation of her personal political stance, Mrs. Gandhi stated that "the right was becoming strong in India and Congress weak," tipping her hand and "compelling" her to enter politics to protect the Gandhi family legacy. She also revealed that her children were "not keen" about the idea, but eventually told her, "whatever you decide, we will back you."
Gandhi provided personal insights into her life, saying that she travelled constantly all over India, often to remote areas to visit the common people, as "it is only by going out and interacting with people that we are in a better position to understand their problems and determine what they want."
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