the journey of a legend chp-05

8/2/2019 THE JOURNEY OF A LEGEND Chp-05

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Shri Rajiv Gandhi speaking at the Federation Session

...with Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi.


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Chapter...A F riend I n D eed

ROUGHT into Politics by his mother Smt. IndiraGandhi after the tragic aeroplane accident of late Sanjay, hisyounger Parliamentarian brother, Rajiv Gandhi in right

earnest started enlarging the circle of his political friends.He was quite eager to bring into his fold the like-mindedyouth, energetic people he could depend upon.

The result was Amitabh Bachchan, his childhoodfamily friend from Allahabad, Kamal Chaudhary, his pilotcolleague from the Indian Airlines, Kiran Choudhary, a

Congress youth leader from Haryana, Smt. Meira Kumar,Late Jagjiwan Ram's daughter from the Indian ForeignService, Harbhajan Singh from the Print Media, KumariShailja late veteran leader Dalbir Singhs daughter andmany more came quite closer to him. And thus developeda sort of long intimate political association.

B

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Margaret Alva, Harbhajan Singh, Arjun Singh and Justice R.S. Sarkaria

Appointed as General Secretary of the All IndiaCongress Committee, Rajiv Gandhi in briefings to the Presscould depend upon responsible editors like Mr. HarbhajanSingh who could present the Press releases of the Party intrue perspective unlike the hostile jute Press which used toprint as it suited them after a twist to their liking. Hence in

Indian Observer, like the National Herald, a daily newspaperfounded by none other than Jawaharlal Nehru, was as goodas a Congress mouth piece.

Rajiv was quick to grasp the fact that the country hadto move up and show it to the world what youth power of

Highly impressed by the Personality and programmes of his friend Shri Rajiv Gandhi,Shri Harbhajan Singh kept the momentum going by holding National Unity Conferences,

Seminars and Symposia in different cities of the country.

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IndianObserver, likethe National

Herald, a dailynewspaper

founded by none

other thanPt. Nehru,

was as good as aCongress

mouth piece.


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Talking Heart to Heart


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At Prime MinisterRajiv Gandhis

7, Race Course Roadresidence

the country was capable of achieving with properopportunities and given due exposure.

After Indiraji's unfortunate assassination by her ownSecuritymen the mantle of Prime Ministership fell on Rajiv

Gandhi he being the most appropriate choice of theCongress Party, as the country was plunged into themourning that shook the whole world.

Brought up into the Congress under the influenceof his maternal grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru and Smt.Indira Gandhi, Rajiv imbibed the spirit of nationalism,


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peace, co-operation, amity, friendly relations with all thecountries especially the neighbouring ones.

Likewise, Harbhajan Singh too had a groomingunder the influence of his father, a veteran freedom fighter,

Sardar Durlab Singh, a staunch Congressman with atowering personality always in white khadi crisp KurtaPyjama and a white Pugree Turban to support asheadgear.

Respectful Homage to the Departed Friend Shri Rajiv Gandhi

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Likewise,Harbhajan Singh

too had agrooming under

the influence ofhis father, a

veteran freedomfighter.


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Both of them, Rajiv and Harbhajan had many asimilarity in their way of thinking, love for the country,full of patriotic fervour, their innocent frankness, honestyof purpose. In their speeches they exhorted the youthto come forward to work for the nation's development.

Annual Session of AISMNF was often celebrated at7, Race Course Road P.M.s official residence and themembers of Small Medium Press used to say slogans. In hiscapacity as the Prime Minister of the country and in hisefforts to further develop and strengthen the friendly andwarm relations with the neighbouring countries Rajivinitiated talks with China and Russia and achieved a lot in

improving and cementing ties to further mutual advantage.He was adequately accompanied by the Media personsboth electronic and print. Harbhajan Singh coveredhis foreign visits and gave a full coverage in his IndianObserver.

TWO MINUTES SILENCE - Jag Parvesh Chandra, C.E.C. Delhi, H arbhajan Singh andLt. Governor Romesh Bhandari

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Annual Sessionof AISMNF wasoften celebrated

at 7, RaceCourse RoadP.M.'s officialresidence.


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Rajiv carried forward the task left by his motherSmt. Indira Gandhi in modernising the country. Not onlythat he brought in the computer network and the latesttechnology from all over the World.

He was straight forward in telling his countrymenwith a heavy heart not to shed blood instead shed hatred,after being sworn in as Prime Minister on 31st October1984, in his first broadcast to the Nation on 2nd November1984 as some people started casting a slur on the sacredmemory of Mrs. Indira Gandhi by indulging in acts of hatredand violence. In the same vein Harbhajan Singh also said

terrorists don't belong to a particular cast or community,they have no religion, they can come from any where andthey should be condemned by all right thinking people.Both had the same wave length and that was the basis oftheir life long friendship.

Shri Harbhajan Singh highlighting Late Leaders Tremendous Contributionin making India Strong.

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Rajiv andHarbhajan had

many a similarityin their way of

thinking, love forthe country,

full of patriotic

fervour.


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Honble Shivraj Patil speaking at the Symposia organised by Shri Harbhajan Singh

in memory of Late Shri Rajiv Gandhi

And this friendship continued even after RajivGandhis life was cut short by a human bomb on May 21,1991 while he was to address an Election Rally inSriperumbdur in Tamilnadu. Harbhajan Singh, year afteryear, continued commemorating the life and works ofShri Rajiv Gandhi on his Birth Anniversary for the cause

dear to the late leader that of national integration,brotherhood, solidarity of the nation, secularism whileholding National Smyposia, Conference, Seminar.

While at Cambridge, he had met Sonia, an Italianwho was studying English. Rajiv Gandhi had not shownmuch interest in politics till then. He attended college at

Cambridge, England, worked as a pilot for the IndianAirlines. They were married in New Delhi in 1968. Theystayed in Smt. Indira Gandhi's residence in New Delhi withtheir two children, Rahul and Priyanka. Theirs was a veryprivate life despite the surrounding din and bustle ofpolitical activity.

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HarbhajanSingh, year afteryear, continued

commemoratingthe life and

works of ShriRajiv Gandhi.

And thisfriendship

continued evenafter Rajiv

Gandhis life wascut short by ahuman bomb.


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Speaking at the Symposia on Rajivs Role in Promoting National Integration.

But his brother Sanjay's death in an air crash in 1980changed that. Pressures on Shri Gandhi to enter politicsand help his mother, then besieged by many internal andexternal challenges, grew. He resisted these pressures atfirst, but later bowed to their logic. He won the by-election

to the Parliament, caused by his brother's death, fromAmethi in U.P. in 1981. At that time, Indira Gandhi wasre-elected as the Prime Minster and Rajiv Gandhi becameher unofficial political advisor took over as the GeneralSecretary of the Party.

In November 1982, when India hosted the Asian

Games, the commitment made years earlier to build thestadia and other infrastructure was fulfilled. Shri Gandhi

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But hisbrother Sanjaysdeath in an aircrash in 1980changed that.


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was entrusted with the task of getting all the workcompleted on time and ensuring that the gamesthemselves were conducted without any hitches or flaws.In fulfilling this challenging task, he first displayed his flair forquiet efficiency and smooth coordination. At the same

time, as General Secretary of the Congress, he startedstreamlining and energizing the party organization withequal diligence. All these qualities came to the fore later infar more testing and trying times.

In October 1984 Smt. Indira Gandhis Securitymenassassinated her and Shri Rajiv Gandhi was sworn in as

Prime Minister.

During the month long election campaign, ShriGandhi traveled tirelessly from one part of the country tothe other, covering a distance equal to one and a half timesthe earth's circumference, speaking at 250 meetings in asmany places and meeting millions face to face.

A Modern-minded, decisive but undemonstrativeman, Shri Gandhi was at home in the world of hightechnology. And, as he repeatedly said, one of his mainobjectives, besides preserving India's unity, was to propel itinto the twenty-first century.

Highly impressed by his multifarious qualities and

programmes Shri Harbjhajan Singh used his fortnightlymagazine the Indian Observer and printed article afterarticle to Congress Party's advantage.

Rajiv remained the Prime Minister of India from1984-1989. The nation placed a great responsibility on

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Highly impressedby his multifarious

qualities and

programmes ShriHarbjhajan Singh

used hisfortnightly

magazine theIndian Observer

and printed

article afterart icle toCongress Party's

advantage.


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Rajiv Gandhi by asking him to head the government andthat goes to his credit that he tried his utmost in fulfilling thesame. And this according to the late Harbhajan Singh wasthe Golden Period in Country's history - Surely friends indeed as in life as after death. Mr Singh breathed his last on5th April 06 having played his innings he left for the nextworld where all good people go.

For God also needs good people.

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Speaking on Contribut ion by Rajiv for India.

the journey of a legend chp-05

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