Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar on Thursday praised late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi describing her as the strongest Prime Minister.

“If someone asks who is the most powerful Prime Minister in the country, the answer would undoubtedly be Indira Gandhi,” Pawar made these remarks on Thursday at a function in Pune, organized by the Yashwantrao Chavan Centre, where women from various fields were felicitated. Famous personalities like actor Shabana Azmi and lyricist Javed Akhtar were also present.

He emphasized that she instilled a sense of pride in the nation and demonstrated strength and self-respect, even on the international stage, particularly during her visit to Russia.
“The important reason for this is that Indira Gandhi gave a sense of pride to the nation. Indira Gandhi took the role of showing that power and self-respect to a big country like Russia,” he said.

Pawar recounted an incident during Indira Gandhi’s visit to Russia when she was not received by her counterparts but rather by a junior minister at the airport.
“I remember when Indira Gandhi visited Russia as the Prime Minister once and after reaching there instead of being received by her counterparts, a junior minister welcomed and greeted her at the airport. In the wake of it, expressing her displeasure over the breach of protocol, Gandhi decided to stay at the Indian ambassador’s residence instead of the designated accommodation for her visit. She took her car to the Ambassador’s residence from Moscow airport. After reaching the Ambassador’s residence, she was calm and asked officers to gather all the kids who are staying nearby and started playing with them,” he said.
He said that after this incident, the then Prime Minister of Russia realised that they have made a mistake by not following the protocol. “He [then Russia PM] himself went to meet Indira Gandhi and expressed his views on the incidents later Indira Gandhi told the Russia PM this is not the matter of her pride this is the matter of pride of our 80 crore Indian citizens whom I represent, this incident as an example of Gandhi’s assertiveness and her commitment to upholding the country’s self-esteem and this happened she was the powerful PM of the country,” Pawar added.

The NCP supremo’s remarks came while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on his first-ever state visit to the United States.