In 1990, after he had lost power, he said to me in an interview: ‘Yes, I was young, I made mistakes.’ Off-the-record he added: ‘If you become prime minister tomorrow, you would make the same mistakes.’
On 17 March 1972, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi shared the stage with 'Bangabandhu' Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at a public rally in Dhaka and expressed admiration for Bangladesh's struggle for independence and reaffirmed India's support.
Rasheed Kidwai’s latest book digs up the 1971 case where a retired Army Captain scammed SBI of Rs 60 Lakh by imitating Indira Gandhi and her Principal Secretary PN Haksar.
At a news debate, BJP IT cell head also accuses Rahul Gandhi of encouraging violence against PM Modi. Jairam Ramesh termed the remark as ‘atrocious’, ‘obnoxious’ and ‘disgraceful’.
Published by HarperCollins India, ‘The Scam That Shook a Nation: The Nagarwala Scandal’ will be released on 8 July on SoftCover, ThePrint’s online venue to launch non-fiction books.
On 29 July 1969, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi delivered a speech in Lok Sabha on the nationalisation of 14 banks, saying the move was 'totally justified to ensure that hopes and aspirations of millions of our people are not sacrificed'.
The issue of inequality has assumed the blazing limelight at a time when inequality in India is said to be higher than it was in the British Raj. It's a ripe situation for half-truths and incendiary statements.
The irony with PC Alexander was that when Indira Gandhi returned to power in 1980, she handpicked him as Principal Secretary and he became her political adviser, conscience keeper and administrative trouble-shooter.
The graduation is meant to bolster the legacy and legitimacy of Sheikh Hasina's Awami League, even as the real-world preparedness lagged behind the glossy narrative.
Indonesia delegation led by Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin visited BrahMos facility & met with top officials & undertook a detailed briefing on the missile system.
It is a brilliant, reasonably priced, and mostly homemade aircraft with a stellar safety record; only two crashes in 24 years since its first flight. But its crash is a moment of introspection.
This article just proves that Darbari journalists continue to spout nonsense in their blind devotion to the former first family. Thank goodness for roots to top politicians like Modi we can see what a pathetic PM RG had been. So will his son be if INC manage to capture power by splitting the country apart.
Vir, the logic that he didnt have time to learn on the job – would you extend the same courtesy to Modi who was freshly made CM in 2002? I dont know any role or company wherein you are given years in the top job to learn the ropes. Only dynasts seem to demand that privilege.
He pulled the plug on the Chandrasekhar govt because he didnt want him to get credit for solving the mandir issue. Despite being the scion of the so called first family, he was insecure in holding the reins of power. He vacillated and supported right wing elements of both religions to his convenience, while in power and while he tried to weaken VP and Chandrasekhar govts. He was in government circles as an aid to his mother since 1981. He was ambitious and wanted to prove himself to be equally capable or better than her. India paid heavily by handing him early the reins of power. He might have been a greater service to the nation had he stayed behind a few years and gained experience.
So we are to eulogize the original dauphin just because he deigned to hold a job like the rest of the mere mortals? And not mention how he could afford the education that he did only because he was the grandson of a PM and employed in the state carrier for the same reason? How he was parachuted to the highest job because his mother’s favorite son passed away? How he had to negotiate the tough terrain that was prepared by the mistakes and arrogance of his mother? How he squandered a once in a century mandate by spineless vacillation and unmoderated temerity? How he ruined the trust of the Indians on reform and change by ceaseless mendacity? How he bequeathed a legacy of competitive communalism and unremitting bloodbath? How he was the original blue eyed boy of the Sangh and how he unleashed the kraken of fanaticism? How he made it commonplace the vulgar and ostentatious display of his enormous wealth with designer clothes and exorbitantly priced accessories that was emulated ny his cronies and has since continued unabated? Let’s forget all of that because Mr Singhvi is feeling bad for the poor “reputation” of his friend and forgive him for the hurricane of horrors he unleashed that took more than two decades to ameliorate. Aw poor guy. The best one can say about him is that probably he was not as much a snollygoster as his mother or son and actually tried to mitigate the problems in Punjab and Northeast to the best of his feeble capabilities. For that meagre contribution the nation already has billions of monuments and institutions named after him. When the INC inevitably comes back to power under his son, daughter and then grandson, a million more buildings will carry his name. What more can one do for his legacy?
Shows the lack of maturity in our political system that a ‘not ready’ person was handed over the biggest job in the country just because he happened to be the previous PM’s son. If only countries thrived under the stewardship of good but clueless leaders.
Well laid out facts and the author should be congratulated for bringing the hard facts in the open when the image of the departed leader si shaken beyond repair at all levels. In feel India lost a true young leader to fate and it is unfortunate
To Rajiv Gandhi goes the credit of messing up India’s economy to an extent that gold had to be mortgaged to tide over India ‘s debt crisis. It led to approaching the IMF. He was followed by a very underrated PM Chandrasekhar who Rajiv pulled down on flimsy grounds. Finally it needed India’s greatest PM PV Narsimha Rao and his more than able Finance Minister Manmohan Singh to reverse the rot by bringing in unprecedented changes. Rajiv was at best mediocre, thrust into the job by accident and probably against his own wishes. The only person who makes Rajiv look good is his own son Rahul Gandhi.
good natured, decent, good intent are subjective views. what matters is objectivity and outcomes. More than anyone else RG himself probably knew he had little exp in politics. If he wanted to get experience, he must have handed PM’ship to someone senior in the party. None of these arguments are valid. When you accept a responsibility, get a brutal majority and mess it up like that, you deserve to be shown the gate. Of course, sympathies to the family bcas of the way his end came. Very sad. But beyond that, I think the five years of Rajiv and the next few years of uncertainty brought the country to the brink, until it was rescued by a much vilified man called P V Narasimha Rao. To this day, the congress party diminishes and disrespects his work and legacy… for one simple reason, they value the family over the nation.
This article just proves that Darbari journalists continue to spout nonsense in their blind devotion to the former first family. Thank goodness for roots to top politicians like Modi we can see what a pathetic PM RG had been. So will his son be if INC manage to capture power by splitting the country apart.
Vir, the logic that he didnt have time to learn on the job – would you extend the same courtesy to Modi who was freshly made CM in 2002? I dont know any role or company wherein you are given years in the top job to learn the ropes. Only dynasts seem to demand that privilege.
He pulled the plug on the Chandrasekhar govt because he didnt want him to get credit for solving the mandir issue. Despite being the scion of the so called first family, he was insecure in holding the reins of power. He vacillated and supported right wing elements of both religions to his convenience, while in power and while he tried to weaken VP and Chandrasekhar govts. He was in government circles as an aid to his mother since 1981. He was ambitious and wanted to prove himself to be equally capable or better than her. India paid heavily by handing him early the reins of power. He might have been a greater service to the nation had he stayed behind a few years and gained experience.
So we are to eulogize the original dauphin just because he deigned to hold a job like the rest of the mere mortals? And not mention how he could afford the education that he did only because he was the grandson of a PM and employed in the state carrier for the same reason? How he was parachuted to the highest job because his mother’s favorite son passed away? How he had to negotiate the tough terrain that was prepared by the mistakes and arrogance of his mother? How he squandered a once in a century mandate by spineless vacillation and unmoderated temerity? How he ruined the trust of the Indians on reform and change by ceaseless mendacity? How he bequeathed a legacy of competitive communalism and unremitting bloodbath? How he was the original blue eyed boy of the Sangh and how he unleashed the kraken of fanaticism? How he made it commonplace the vulgar and ostentatious display of his enormous wealth with designer clothes and exorbitantly priced accessories that was emulated ny his cronies and has since continued unabated? Let’s forget all of that because Mr Singhvi is feeling bad for the poor “reputation” of his friend and forgive him for the hurricane of horrors he unleashed that took more than two decades to ameliorate. Aw poor guy. The best one can say about him is that probably he was not as much a snollygoster as his mother or son and actually tried to mitigate the problems in Punjab and Northeast to the best of his feeble capabilities. For that meagre contribution the nation already has billions of monuments and institutions named after him. When the INC inevitably comes back to power under his son, daughter and then grandson, a million more buildings will carry his name. What more can one do for his legacy?
Shows the lack of maturity in our political system that a ‘not ready’ person was handed over the biggest job in the country just because he happened to be the previous PM’s son. If only countries thrived under the stewardship of good but clueless leaders.
Well laid out facts and the author should be congratulated for bringing the hard facts in the open when the image of the departed leader si shaken beyond repair at all levels. In feel India lost a true young leader to fate and it is unfortunate
Excellent & detailed article, will certainly help people our country understand Shri Rajeev Gandhi contributions as PM
To Rajiv Gandhi goes the credit of messing up India’s economy to an extent that gold had to be mortgaged to tide over India ‘s debt crisis. It led to approaching the IMF. He was followed by a very underrated PM Chandrasekhar who Rajiv pulled down on flimsy grounds. Finally it needed India’s greatest PM PV Narsimha Rao and his more than able Finance Minister Manmohan Singh to reverse the rot by bringing in unprecedented changes. Rajiv was at best mediocre, thrust into the job by accident and probably against his own wishes. The only person who makes Rajiv look good is his own son Rahul Gandhi.
well written
good natured, decent, good intent are subjective views. what matters is objectivity and outcomes. More than anyone else RG himself probably knew he had little exp in politics. If he wanted to get experience, he must have handed PM’ship to someone senior in the party. None of these arguments are valid. When you accept a responsibility, get a brutal majority and mess it up like that, you deserve to be shown the gate. Of course, sympathies to the family bcas of the way his end came. Very sad. But beyond that, I think the five years of Rajiv and the next few years of uncertainty brought the country to the brink, until it was rescued by a much vilified man called P V Narasimha Rao. To this day, the congress party diminishes and disrespects his work and legacy… for one simple reason, they value the family over the nation.