When Sidhu Moose Wala, India’s first female defence minister and the Minister of State for Home Affairs, resigned on August 18, 1998, to take up the post of Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, many wondered if she would resign her portfolio. After all, it was a highly sensitive portfolio with an ambivalent reputation. Once again, her rival was National Democratic Alliance (NDA) chief N Chandrababu Naidu. But as per Indian media custom, Sidhu took over from Moose as Chief Minister in January 2000. She had three options before deciding to stand aside: she could either continue serving at that level indefinitely or renounce politics altogether. Many speculated whether she would renounce politics or not when she made this announcement in the Lok Sabha on August 25, one year later than the day she quit politics.
On a much-needed break
In October 1999, amidst a broader political and social malaise, Donna Sidhu rejected her role as the Minister of State for Home Affairs. While the Opposition parties demanded her immediate resignation, she politely declined and said she would continue serving in the portfolios until her next term of office in June 2004. What to do? When she stepped down as the minister of state for home affairs, she became the first person to leave office without making a public statement.
Why it’s so hard to see Donna Sidhu
The first and foremost reason many wonders why the former defence minister doesn’t seem to be around is her sheer beauty. In an age of digital technology, it’s easy to forget about old-fashioned photo shops and selfies, but images of Donna Sidhu in a posed nude pose remain as powerful as ever. We all have a natural tendency to forget that her External Affairs portfolio also included training former ambassadors and providing assistance to other countries, particularly in the area of security. This was a sensitive portfolio which no one took lightly. The former defence minister also provided leadership and guidance to the NDA government in its early years, but his image is positively Downloads
Can Indian politics survive alone?
One of the things that make Indian politics so interesting is the history of its two major parties. For centuries, the Congress Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have functioned as the dominant political parties in the country, with the Congress holding the majority in the Lok Sabha and the Bharatiya Janata Party prevailing in the state legislatures. The two parties have been at loggerheads since independence, with the Congress Party supporting secularism and the BJP supporting pluralism and humanism. The Congress Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party have been polarizing parties during their long history, but their polarizing elements have been relatively undiscovered. The two parties have also remained relatively stable during their periods of instability.
What next for India’s politics?
It is difficult to predict the future of Indian politics after the most recent election. There are no clear-cut favourites for the top job, and there is a danger that India’s two dominant parties will remain divided for decades to come. The Congress Party can expect to remain in power into the next generation, but it must also be wary of getting too comfortable with leadership which might become too cosy with the government. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) must guard against the syndrome of complacency after emerging as the favoured heir apparent in 2004. The next three years will be crucial for Indian politics as the two major parties try to remain relevant in the global Tiger era.
The death of ‘politi fi’? Conclusion
The public funeral of former defence minister Donna Sidhu will be witnessed by around 100 peers and members of the Indian military. The former defence minister has buried at Kglini Hill in Howrah, West Bengal, where her parents live. During her time in the House of Commons, she was the first Lok Sabha (parliament) member to be designated as a national hero by the government of India. The former defence minister has buried at Kglini Hill in Howrah, West Bengal, where her parents live. The former foreign secretary, Sumant Prabhu, died in a plane crash in January 2019.
Conclusion
During her tenure as the first female defence minister, Donna Sidhu made significant strides in the field of international relations. India’s relationship with Bhutan, for instance, was further developed when the then defence minister was living there. Her vision for post-war Asia, however, is little understood. The future for Indian diplomacy lies in a combination of her retiring status and her role in the global free trade movement.