Rajiv Gandhi, India’s sixth Prime Minister (1984 to 1989), would have turned 76 on August 20. Taking over the office at the age of 40, he reduced the voting age from 21 to 18, created a special ministry for Panchayat Raj and kicked off India’s computerization revolution
NEW DELHI: I was barely 23 years when I met Rajiv Gandhi in Bombay during Centenary celebrations of the Congress Party in 1985.
Rajiv Gandhi made a fierce speech, saying, ”We will have a transparent government, which will not have any place for middle men and pimps.”
In politics, this was a revolutionary step. This greatly impressed a Che Guevaraian revolutionary like myself and India’s youth.
India was not digital in 1985.
One day, my father Jaswant Rai informed me that there was a call from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), pertaining to a meeting with PM Rajiv Gandhi. My dad was a bit uncomfortable. Mani Shankar Aiyar, Joint Secretary in the PMO, called again. I went to meet Rajiv Gandhi in South Block. It was my first brush with political magnificence. I was numb with the majesticity of political cobwebs.
Before meeting Rajiv Gandhi, I met Mani Shankar Aiyar and Pulok Chatterjee who was under-secretary in the PMO.
When I met Rajiv Gandhi, I was cat whiskers curious! He looked celestial in pure white, impeccable dress, handsome, with endearing smile. He got up to greet me, offered me tea with biscuits.
Rajiv Gandhi really liked me, as a young political, socialist thinker, with a vision for the masses. I often gave suggestions in writing to him. He gave specific instructions to Mani Shankar Aiyar to coordinate with me. Pulok Chatterjee (Cabinet Secretary) and I became close friends.
Rajiv Gandhi also introduced me to Capt. Satish Sharma, “Cappy” “Pundit jee” and Defence Minister Arun Singh (who was an executive from Reckitt Benckiser, with no political background). These were ‘All the PM’s Men’. I was oblivious to those who thought that I was powerful and connected to the highest echelons of power. Rajiv Gandhi often treated me to a cup of coffe and sandwich. Those waiting for him used to murmur as to who this young lady is. I didn’t think that it was a big deal, but it really was!
I gave a detailed note to Rajiv to lower the voting age to 18 years. He gave it to Mani Shankar Aiyar as he was handling the media in the PMO.
In my note I had explained to Rajiv Gandhi the importance of youth’s and women’s participation in the political arena. He reduced the voting age from 21 years to 18 years. Thanks Rajiv ji for giving political power to the youth of India.
Then I met Rajiv Gandhi at the Wild life Institute of India, Dehradun, which he inaugurated. Minister Arun Singh spotted me in a crowd of people and helped me to come to the VIP enclosure. Alok Sinha was P.S. to Arun Singh, who would meet me occasionally.
I was often called to meet PM Rajiv Gandhi on contemporary subjects. It was always a pleasure to meet such a mesmerizing person.
Rajiv Gandhi’s immediate core team stabbed him in his back. He trusted V.P. Singh, Arun Singh, Arun Nehru and others who formed the Janata Dal to challenge the Congress.
Rajiv Gandhi’s speech at a massive rally at India Gate was covered by me. There was such mad rush. I had carried my little baby, Yuvraj Siddhartha, in the scorching heat. I was helped by Pankaj Vohra, G.K. Singh, Rajiv Shukla and other journalists. He said of Indira Gadnhi’s assassination: “When a huge tree is uprooted, there are tremors in the earth…hum Nani yaad karva dengey.” That speech did a lot of damage to Rajiv’s personal image.
It hurt the feelings of the Sikhs who were traumatized by the riots of 1984 after assassination of Mrs. Indira Gandhi. Many journalists started calling Rajiv’s group ‘Baba Log’ (Journalist Kuldeep Nayyar)! Rajiv Gandhi tried to assuage the sentiments of the Sikh community.
By then, I had resigned as Lecturer from Delhi University and joined Doordarshan as senior correspondent and news editor. I freelanced on several subjects.
My interactions with Rajiv Gandhi were phased out, as he became busy with national and global commitments. I wrote on issues like digitization and computer revolution in India. The most trusted men of Rajiv Gandhi were alienated from him, and deserted him.
Rajiv Gandhi should not have withdrawn support from PM Chandra Shekhar. Had he not paid heed to some of his political advisers, his political career would have continued. He got embroiled in several controversies – Bofors, Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka, the Shah Bano case, etc. He lost the elections and sat in Opposition. I was always on the road with my camera teams. I had no life and time for myself.
While in Opposition, Rajiv Gandhi had some breathing space for course correction.
The elections of 1991 were expectedly going to bring Rajiv Gandhi back as PM. I interviewed Rajiv Gandhi at Nirman Bhawan in Delhi where he came with Sonia Gandhi to cast their vote. Rajiv drove in the newly launched, white Maruti 1000. I was doing coverage for Doordarshan News, with our cameraman Rajiv Rai. After he cast his vote, I stood at the door of Maruti 1000, from where Rajiv Gandhi would enter. As cameras rolled, I asked him:
Q. Rajiv jee, what are you expecting from these elections?
Rajiv: Congress party will form the next Government.
Q. In case of no clear mandate, will you have an alliance government?
Rajiv: Question doesn’t arise, we will form the Government on our own.
It was his last interview before he left on his fatal visit to Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu on the insistence of Mrs. Margratham Chandra Shekhar even though IB and RAW had advised him not to undertake the trip.
Next day, Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by LTTE.
I went to Teen Murti Bhawan where Rajiv’s coffin lay decked with flowers. I couldn’t bear it!
I have never forgotten the affection and respect Rajiv Gandhi gave me as a human being.
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