Sonia Gandhi: Dynastic Perks

As a private person, the lady of 10 Janpath wielded enormous clout. And now in her public avatar her special status is the envy of even former prime ministers.

It is not normal for political campaigners to be put up at Raj Bhavans during election tours. But when the VIP happens to be the Congress party's star campaigner Sonia Gandhi, the governors are only too happy to accommodate her at their official residences. Indeed, as others rough it out on their campaign trails, the lady of 10 Janpath prefers to stay at Raj Bhavans during her election tour halts in state capitals.

Even though the facility -- subject to availability of rooms -- is extended only to former prime ministers, in the case of Sonia, the governor's office is tipped off in advance. As was the case when she made night halts between election rallies at Chennai and Bangalore. Responding to requests from her private secretary Vincent George, both Karnataka Governor Khurshid Alam Khan and Tamil Nadu's Fatima Beevi invited her to stay over as their personal guest. It suits Sonia too, to be in the guarded precincts of the Raj Bhavan. For, immediately after delivering her speech, she retires to her room, away from the media.

True, even as a private person Sonia has always wielded enormous clout, with a push-button access to virtually every ministry in the Government of India. And nothing has changed even after her formal entry into public life. As a key campaigner for the Congress party, she continues to enjoy special perks. In fact, she is being treated as the star campaigner.

A few hours before her first public appearance at Sriperumbudur on January 11, a senior Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer was busy clearing his files and handing over charge. He was on way to his next assignment -- actually, back to 10 Janpath as deputy director, Special Protection Group (SPG).

SPECIAL PRIVILEGES

Stays in Raj Bhavans when even former prime ministers do not always have that privilege.

Asks for specific SPG officers and the Government bends rules to accede.

At official functions she is seated along with Vajpayee, Chandra Shekhar, Rao, Deve Gowda and V.P. Singh.

As chairperson of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and other family trusts, she has favourite bureaucrats on deputation as trustees.

Government allows her trusts facilities that no other NGO is entitled to.

Bharat Wanchoo had been relieved from 10 Janpath and posted to the IB in early December but he was back at his previous assignment in mid-January, even though SPG chief M.R. Reddy was unhappy with the "political order". But then, the request had come from Sonia and it was carried out in record time. The Prime Minister's Office, the Home Ministry, the Department of Personnel and the IB ignored the rules and complied. During the course of their training, SPG officials are told not to get close to the people they protect and hence there's a two-year cool-off period between two assignments with the SPG.

Sonia's wish is inevitably taken as a command, even when it involves bending the rules. Recently, the licences of four senior pilots who flew her and Congress President Sitaram Kesri to Rohtak on January 28 for an election rally were cancelled because they violated security restriction. Non-scheduled flights are banned during specific hours for a week from January 26 in view of the Republic Day celebrations. But Sonia's clout in the Home Ministry ensured that the charges against the pilots were promptly dropped.

Already, Sonia is being accused by the BJP of running a "hit-and-run'' campaign. She is the only SPG-protected person around whom an iron ring has been thrown. Says a senior security officer: "As per the threat perception, Vajpayee is rated as No 1 on the hit-list, followed by Sonia Gandhi, but more fuss is being made about her." During her rallies, Sonia's dais is completely out of bounds. And of those under the Z-plus category, she is the only one for whom the state governments put up the stage.

When it comes to official functions, even Rashtrapati Bhavan has been according Sonia a special status. A clear violation of the "Charter of Precedence'' which lists the order of seniority for protocol purposes. But at all functions, be it the "At Home" hosted by the President or a banquet in honour of a visiting dignitary, a seat is earmarked for Sonia along with former prime ministers.

If, as chairperson of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, Sonia wishes to host a reception at Hyderabad House, the Ministry of External Affairs obliges even though it is meant for official banquets in honour of visiting head of states and foreign dignitaries. Two of her pet projects -- the Vir Bhumi and Sriperumbudur Memorial Concept Committees and the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Museum -- are funded by the Rural Development Ministry and the Department of Culture.

But now that she has chosen the political route, Sonia has also exposed herself to attacks. Her special status is being questioned not just by the opposition parties but there are rumblings within the Congress too. There's a feeling that she has converted her public appearances into family shows. During the Amethi rally, for instance, the AICC had to hire two helicopters to accommodate Sonia, son Rahul, Priyanka and husband Robert Vadra, George and the SPG commandos. And for the Rohtak rally, two helicopters were used even though no family member was accompanying her. Reason: she didn't want to travel in the same chopper as Kesri.

Nobody in the Congress, however, is complaining openly. Nor for that matter is anybody in the Government. "It is just a courtesy we extend,'' say protocol officials who have accorded Sonia special status. And made her a star who wields influence. The influence that has become part and parcel of what is called the "Sonia factor".