Sonia Gandhi

The Université Libre Brussels presented next Saturday, 11 November 2006 an honorary doctorate from the Indian politician Sonia Gandhi. Gandhi is president of the ruling Congress party and is the most powerful woman in India. She is in her country more than anyone else known as defender of the foundations of a secular state and as a fighter against poverty. In that respect it embodies in part the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi. She has a deep belief in a multicultural society with honest politicians. One of her statements that this very aptly reflects, reads: "Democracy is the best way to avoid getting hungry."

Friday, November 10th is Sonia Gandhi to Belgium for a three-day visit. Saturday they will visit the exhibition at Bozar India. Here she will at a ceremony around 4:00 p.m. to receive honorary doctorate presented by Rector Benjamin Van Camp of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.

Sonia Gandhi was born in Italy but married Rajiv Gandhi, son of Indira Gandhi and grandson of Jawaharlal Nehru. Nehru was India's first prime minister and his daughter Indira, who was married to a Gandhi (no relation to Mahatma Gandhi), was in turn also Prime Minister of the country.

Indira was assassinated in 1984 and succeeded by her son Rajiv, but seven years later he was assassinated. His wife Sonia Gandhi stepped into politics only in 1998. She was president of the Congress Party in 2004 and led her party to victory in parliamentary elections. Mrs. Sonia Gandhi left the premiership but to pass them, and shoved Manmohan Singh, the highly respected former finance minister, as prime minister to the front. Following the emerging polarization of religious parties, the Congress Party's renewed faith in a secular state and a secular government. As president it was her credit this to the ethnic, cultural and religious differences to bridge.

In the 2006 elections took her Congress party a clear victory. Nevertheless, she astonished everyone by again to see the premiership in favor of Dr. Manmohan Singh. As chairman of the Congress Party and the Congress Party Parliament, she plays a determining role in the policy of the government.
Mrs. Sonia Gandhi is in her political actions of a sense of social justice and faith in human dignity.

Under its impulse, for example, the "Rural Employment Scheme 'directive entered into the Indian law. This directive provides for at least 100 days for people below the poverty line. She fights for basic education and health care for all, even in the most remote villages. They formed the basis of different social foundations and legislative measures to attain that goal. She advocates a multicultural and tolerant society that values diversity as a build in. She calls unconditionally to all religions and cultural minorities with dignity and respect to be treated as equal. Finally she takes a prominent role in the fight for gender equality. Women recently have legal protection and compensation for undergoing abuse in their own homes. The proposal to one third of the seats in parliament to reserve to women comes from her hand.

The implementation of a democratic legislation in an immense country with over 1.2 billion people in need of stability and firmness. Mrs. Sonia Gandhi in difficult personal circumstances that included job and has become a beacon for all who honor the legacy of Mahathma Gandhi.