Today is the late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s 29th death anniversay and the entire nation is paying its richest tributes to this great leader.
It is indeed a most traumatic coincidence that former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi who joined active politics unwillingly and became the prime minister of the largest democracy of the world, after her mother’s tragic assasination in 1984, sworn in by the then president Gyani Zail Singh, himself met the same tragic end in Sriperumbudur, South India on 21st May 1991 when this great leader was killed by LTTE while likely to address a massive public meeting having been invited by Congress leaders G. K. Moopanar and Jayanti Natarajan.
The shocking and traumatic news of Rajiv Gandhi’s assasination on 21st night send traumatic shock waves across the country, with the entire nation going in the state of mourning.
It was an unbelievable news and all were praying that it becomes a rumour but it was a truth when confirmed. The shocking news flashed was : this great pro people leader has be bombed with his mutilated body scattered at the meeting venue to the utter dismay n shock of one and all.
It was an end of an era indeed as the cruel hands of destiny had snatched from us a statesman, transparent and secular progressive leader of the masses n the poor with an everlasting smiling sober face of an honest politician.
Born on 20th August 1944 Rajiv Gandhi had served as the sixth prime minister of India from 1984 to 1989 who was loved, adored and blessed by millions of countrymen as an undisputed leader of international credibility in such a short span.
I fondly remember that a day before this fateful day cheerful Rajiv Gandhi alongwith Sonia Gandhi had visited the Nirman Bhawan polling station in the morning at 7.30 AM to cast their votes as superstar Rajesh Khanna, the Congress candidate from New Delhi against BJP’s Shatru was desperately waiting alongwith RK Dhawan to cordially receive them. I being Kaka’s media advisor then, had accompanied him to the Nirman Bhawan polling station and had gone inside to check the polling booth before Rajivji’s arrival.
I remember how several acrimonious press photographers clicked Kaka’s pictures. When Rajiv and Sonia Gandhi entered the vicinity, I can recall that two women with Arti Thaali in their hands came near both of them and tried to apply Tilak on their foreheads after performing the Arti.
But due to tight security or in desperation the Arti Thali fell down. There was disturbance. I saw Sonia Gandhi getting disturbed n tensed, considering it to be a bad omen and wanted to go back home without casting the votes, but Rajivji pressed her hand and moved ahead consoling Soniaji to cast their votes.
Being high security arrangements on Rajivji’ arrival, I moved aside and then PM Rajiv, Sonia Gandhi, Rajesh Khanna n R. K. Dhawan moved inside Nirman Bhawan to caste their votes with press photographers creating commotion. It was 20th May, 1991.
Even the next day some of the newspapers had mentioned news about the dropping of Arti Thali at Nirman Bhawan polling station in front of Rajiv and Sonia Gandhi terming it as a “BAD OMEN” Bura Shagun in Hindi. I saw cheerful Kaka interacting with Rajiv n Sonia Gandhi while entering the Nirman Bhawan polling booth.
The next day newspapers, especially the Hindustan Times published a unique picture of the trio Rajiv n Sonia with Kaka helping them drop the voting slip in the box. It was the most memorable photo considering the last public photo of Rajiv and Sonia Gandhi which was also framed beautifully in expensive Golden coloured frame by Kaka and fixed prominently in ASHIRVAD BUNGALOW, the negative of which was arranged by me after late Kaka’s constant pressure on me to procure it.
I remember, when we were coming back after Rajiv Gandhi and Soniaji’s voting Kaka was telling us that Rajivji would be going for extensive campaiging the next day especially to Sriperumbudur.
On 21st May my younger brother’s marriage was to take place and the venue was Sector 2, R. K. Puram. I had requested Kaka to be there by all means and he honoured my request. Kaka was at the marriage venue latest by ten, I believe. There was lot of rush there, as everyone was thrilled to see their superstar. People left their food plates and rushed towards him.
Kaka had hardly stayed for 15 minutes n he got a shocking message through one of his security staff on his wireless about Rajivji’s demise.
It was indeed an unbelievable news for him as he considered Rajiv as his God father. Badly tensed Rajesh Khanna rushed towards his car murmuring Mere Bhagwan chale gaye. Kaka rushed to Teen Murti Bhawan and stayed there for the whole night in terrible grief n deep shock. He returned back to his Som Vihar flat the other day and also attended his God father’s last rites on Yamuna bank, New Delhi on 24th May.
