Statements of Headline Makers

Where Are They Now?

They evoke only a flicker of recognition today. But they were headline-grabbers not so long ago – newsmakers of the past and their present status.

B.R. Ambedkar, 1950 “Political tyranny is nothing compared to social tyranny and a reformer who defies society is a more courageous man than a politician who defies government.”

Jawaharlal Nehru, 1960 “Democracy is good. I say this because other systems are worse.”

Salman Rushdie, 1989 “Prophet Mohammed would have no objection to The Satanic Verses.”

Manmohan Singh, 1991 “I am not very good at statistics. I am also a poor thinker.”

Indira Gandhi, 1979 “If the country prospers even a little by doing away with me, I am willing to be hanged.”

Sardar Patel, 1931 “No one would starve in independent India. Its grain would not exported. Cloth would not be imported by it. Its leaders would not use a foreign language and finding justice in it would be neither costly nor difficult.”

Sonia Gandhi 2004 “I am an Indian. In fact, I feel like a foreigner when I go abroad.”

Mahatma Gandhi 1946 “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed.”

George Fernandes 1977 “A politician should not be written off till he or she is cremated.”

Nana Patekar 1995 “Amitabh is a good actor who has done the wrong films for 10 years.”

Dhyan Chand 1932 “I was assured of a place in the team without trials, but I had a feeling it was not fair....when many of my friends were fighting badly for a place and had to prove their mettle in the inter provincial tournament.”

Mulk Raj Anand 1996 “No apology is necessary for being truthful to the echoes of one’s mother tongue.”

V.P.Singh 1988 “I would be a disaster as a prime minister.”

Mother Teresa 1976 “The biggest problem in the world today is not poverty or disease but the lack of love and charity and the feeling of being unwanted.”

Amrita Pritam 1984 “Indian men are still used to the traditional role given to women; they want intelligent girls for company but not to marry....(they) have yet to taste and relish the company of mature women.”

Khushwant Singh 1993 “Nobody has yet invented the condom for the pen. My pen is still sexy.”

Rekha   1976 “Sharmila, Jaya, Shabana are always saying things about me. They do too much nakhra. But I’m three times as much in demand as all of them put together.”

Manmohan Desai 1983 “No girl has offered to go to bed with me in return for a part (in a film). I wish it would happen.”

A.B. Vajpayee 1998 “Did Indira Gandhi ask for somebody’s permission to carry out the test in 1974?”

Sunil Dutt 1986 “It was only after I got elected that I got back in touch with reality. Otherwise we actors tend to get lost in the world of make believe.”

NaniPalkhivala 1988 “If any enterprise is run along the line the government of India is run, it would go into liquidation.”

BhajanLal 1988 “The Congress has made this country. The rest (the opposition parties) are all tenants.”

ShatrughanSinha 1987 “If a pilot can become the prime minister, why can’t a film star?”

Shah Rukh Khan 2005 “I love the trappings of stardom. I’d hate it if 5,000 people didn’t gather outside my home.”

O.P. Chautala 1990 “A man who does not have thousands of enemies, I don’t consider him a man. A man whose name does not make some people squirm at night, his life has no meaning. His coming into this world is purposeless.”

Satyajit Ray 1983 “I don’t understand these national awards, because half of those who sit in judgement over Indian films do not....possess the competence to evaluate a film correctly.”

Bal Thackeray 1992 “I believe the country needs a dictatorship.”

Kanshi Ram 1993 “We will build neither mandirs nor masjids. Our priority will be to build latrines.”

E.K. Nayanar 1997 “As long as there are women, there are bound to be sex rackets.”

Sunil Gavaskar 1993 “Why talk of the team when our Cricket Board is like an exclusive club with members being there for years on end? If they can stay on without performing, the players too feel they can stay in the team without too big a performance.”