MITA SEN, homemaker in her 70s , well-read, travelled around India as her army doctor father was posted out every few years, finally settled in Kolkatta:
In the current world I hope we will see younger women. Like Jessica Aarden of New Zealand! She is young, comes across as so much fun to know, she is compassionate, progressive…in general more compassionate than men ever could be. Then take Germany’s Margaret Merkal, who was returned three times by the people of Germany, she was very popular, did her job proud.
She left quietly and happily…they wanted her back but in Germany they have some rule about serving only three times, no more. Then look at Margaret Thatcher whom I’m no overly fond, she was too dogmatic and rigid but they say she took good decisions and turned the British economy around which was paralysed when she took over the prime minister’s post.
Remember our Indira Gandhi, she too was considered as the only woman in her cabinet or iron lady and such things…but few women leaders have a vision! That’s what makes a difference. Having a vision makes a lot of difference. Perhaps only New Zealand’s Jessica is a visionary, she is not only a compassionate leader but a vision. If you have a vision you have something more than what most politicians have…today most of them have the vision only how to grab power and make money! That’s what’s happening round us, it is so dismal and I have lost interest in politics.
Mamata-didi is very dedicated to what she thinks, West Bengal and India, but sometimes goes overboard and doesn’t depute…look at how big the exodus was when the BJP came into West Bengal for the last elections, so many of her own people left her. Even if they came back later when she won!