Today is the last day of October and 38th anniversary of the death of the country’s third Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. A tragedy like this leaves a deep wound and also a lesson. What are the highlights of the massacre?
To answer this one needs to go back 38 years. Indira was murdered at her official residence by members of her own security team. After Operation Blue Star, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) received information that the ISI chief was plotting to assassinate Indira. Deployment of personnel from both the Army and the Delhi Police was required to fortify the Prime Minister’s residence and office. Officials of intelligence agencies will also take part in the regular review of the Prime Minister’s security plan.
RAW then got intelligence that Inspector Beant Singh of Delhi Police, who was assigned to the inner circle of security, had recently been Amritdhari (baptized to Sikhism) and was meeting suspicious people. On this basis, he was sent to the armed unit of Delhi Police. Indira was known to admire him and referred to him as “Sardar ji”. He returned within a few days as a result of his intervention. On the fateful morning of 31 October 1984, he was the first to open fire on Indira. Kehar and Satwant Singh joined him. A little later, Beant was shot on the spot, under “mysterious” circumstances. He had led the plot to kill Indira and may have disclosed a lot of information.
Later when Rajiv Gandhi became the Prime Minister, taking lessons from Indira’s assassination, a separate privileged agency – the Special Protection Group (SPG) was set up to protect the Prime Minister and the family. The SPG still handles the security of the Prime Minister. It is a matter of happiness that barring a few exceptions, no attacker has come under the footsteps of the Indian Prime Minister since the formation of this agency.
This was the first lesson that could be drawn from the situation. Although the VVIPs survived the attack, their distance from the common people kept increasing. Having security in the nation is now seen as a sign of prestige. This is not good for democracy.
Now let’s move on to the second lesson.
People across the country became upset as soon as the news of the attack on Indira came. There is no other politician than him in terms of political and social status. His son Rajiv had entered politics only five years ago. Although he was quite popular and dynamic, no one was ready to believe that he could replace Indira.
Not long ago, in the 1980 general election, the Congress had won 353 seats and secured a resounding victory. The party then had stalwarts like Pranab Mukherjee, Narasimha Rao and Narayan Dutt Tiwari. In the opinion of the general public, none of these was equal to Indira. The news of Rajiv’s ascension under the circumstances raised the question as to how he would fill his mother’s shoes.
Rajiv and all the Prime Ministers who followed him did many good and bad things, but they never let the candle of democracy burn, even when the neighboring countries were still in turmoil. Today Delhi is ruled by Narendra Modi. She is often compared to Indira in terms of her hold over the party, the government and the people of the country. Modi too had to face problems during the Emergency imposed by the Indira regime. He has been the Prime Minister of the country twice. This shows that whenever India discovers a void, enthusiastic Indians rush to fill it.
Let us now move on to the third lesson. Indira was assassinated while fighting the divisive elements of India. At that time Punjab was on fire, and from time to time sparks flared in Kashmir. The spark of separation was also smoldering in the Northeast. Today Punjab is one of the most peaceful and richest states of the country. The turmoil in the North-East has become a thing of the past. Despite the difficulties, Kashmir remains the crown jewel of India.
The Modi government not only abrogated the controversial Article 370 three years ago, but also bifurcated the state into two union territories for better administration. Whatever concerns the skeptics may have had at that time, the fact is that the tourist influx to Jammu and Kashmir is breaking records.
What can be a better display of India’s unity, integrity and determination to move forward indefinitely?
There have been many more achievements in the last 38 years that we can be proud of, but these three lessons inspire us to be vigilant and change with the times. We must keep these lessons in mind at all times.
Shashi Shekhar is the editor-in-chief of Hindustan. Thoughts are personal.
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