George Fernandes: The ‘Giant Killer’ who removed Sonia Gandhi’s portrait from the Constitution Club

Former Defence Minister of India in Vajpayee government, George Fernandes, passed away on Tuesday, 29 January at the age of 88. He breathed his last in Delhi at 7 AM. He had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

A native of Mangaluru and founder of the Samata Party dedicated his entire life in the service of the nation. His journey from a seminary in erstwhile Bangalore to the trade unions of erstwhile Bombay is extraordinary. He became a national figure for the first time after defeating powerful Congress leader- SK Patil- in 1967 parliamentary elections from the South Bombay constituency. SK Patil had a reputation of being undefeatable. It was a huge victory for George Fernandes which also earned him the reputation of being a “giant killer”. With his good work, he earned the love and respect of people. He won nine Lok Sabha elections from 1967 to 2004. 

An emergency crusader, an outstanding defense minister in war-time and an unapologetic politician, George Fernandes embodied the very idea of resistance and was ever-so-wary of the supposed ‘royalty’ of Indian politics, the Nehru-Gandhi family. 

George Fernandes, the constitutionalist, hated the very idea of the ‘royalty’ Nehru-Gandhi family and their supposed prerogative of being the ‘chosen ones’. One famous instance of Fernandes’ resistance against the royalty was when insisted on removing the portrait of Sonia Gandhi from the Constitution Club. 

In 2004, supporters of George Fernandes removed the portrait of Sonia Gandhi from the Constitution Club, he was also present there and slammed the sycophants of Sonia Gandhi. He was there to attend a seminar on reinstating democracy in Myanmar (Burma). During the course of the seminar, the Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s portrait on the wall attracted his attention. According to rules, that portrait should not have been there. It’s a rule that only four portraits are usually placed in the Speaker’s Hall – the incumbent President and Prime Minister are on one side, and on the other side the portraits of Rajendra Prasad, the Speaker of the first Constituent Assembly, and Ambedkar, who framed the Constitution, are placed. George ensured that portrait of Sonia Gandhi placed at the venue is removed. He said, “I feel that the son of a slave has done this job. No decent person would ever do this kind of a thing. On what basis has [the portrait] been put there? What? Have these people purchased this country? Nehru dynasty? What dynasty is it? Dynasty of looters.” He also said, “It should definitely be removed! Why not? How? On what basis was it put there? Because she is white?”

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The quintessential rebel leader had at no point cared for the ‘royalty’ and had put the nation and its real heroes above everything else.

The pouring of rich tributes upon his demise is indicative of the impact he left on the politics of India. 

Many leaders cutting across party lines including the PM expressed condolences.

The former Defence Minister of India was a rebel who has left his mark in the mind of people and his image would continue to stay in hearts of the future generation and would continue to inspire them. Today the nation has lost one of its priceless gems.