Voices

India Today
January 4, 1999

"I entered politics because I could not see the sacrifices made by my family go in vain."
Sonia Gandhi, at an election rally at Hanamkonda, Andhra Pradesh, in February

"I've waited 40 years. Now it's my turn."
A.B. Vajpayee, prime minister, after the results of the Lok Sabha elections were declared

"My plight is like Draupadi's. Everyone watched her being disrobed but no one came forward to help her."
P.V. Narasimha Rao, former prime minister, after being denied a Lok Sabha ticket by the Congress

"Scientists like working on moonlit nights."
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, scientific adviser to defence minister, on preparing for N-tests in May

"Why don't you do something in Kashmir? After all you have the bomb."
Jyoti Basu, West Bengal chief minister, to Union Home Minister L.K. Advani

"The BJP is a party with double faces -- two manifestos, two leaders (Vajpayee and Advani) and dual membership."
Mulayam Singh Yadav, Samajwadi Party president

"The prime minister writes poetry. How will he feel if someone were to tear up his work?"
Deepa Mehta, filmmaker, on attempts to ban her film Fire

"Reforms should not be put on hold. Rather the reform process and expansion of social opportunities should be carried out simultaneously."
Amartya Sen, Nobel laureate, on reforms in the Indian economy

"It was like Arjuna meeting Dronacharya."
Sachin Tendulkar, cricketer, on his meeting with Test legend Sir Donald Bradman

"I feel insecure when I have to dance with Govinda or fight with Ajay Devgan."
Amitabh Bachchan, actor