STORY OF INDIA AFTER THE ASSASSINATION OF
INDIRA GANDHI.
This particular chapter deals with the happenings after the assassination
of Indira Gandhi. It was 1st November 1984 when Rajiv Gandhi
addressed the nation. In this year of 1984 lot of big event happened in the
country like wise operation blustar, assassination of Indira Gandhi, Rajiv
Gandhi took the oath as the prime minister of India. Communal riots were going
throughout the nation. Within three days more three thousand Sikhs were killed.
Sikhs were burnt alive many were killed in their homes. Congress leaders were
accused for insisting the conspirators to kill the Sikhs. What was the reason
behind the massacre of Sikhs? It was 31st October 1984 when prime
minister Indira Gandhi was shot dead by her two Sikh guards. After her
assassination all the Sikhs were targeted. While Rajiv Gandhi was taking oath
as the next prime minister of the nation at that time the dead body of Indira
Gandhi was in the AIIMS, Delhi. After the assassination of Indira Gandhi most
of congress leader were in support of Rajiv Gandhi as the next prime minister.
During that point of time president Gyani Jail Singh was in the tour of Yemen,
he was supposed to sworn Rajiv Gandhi as the prime minister. But senior
congress leader Arun Nehru was not in favour of waiting for the way back of
President. He talked to the personal secretary to prime minister PC Alexander
that vice president should sworn Rajiv Gandhi as the prime minister in the
absence of President Gyani Jail Singh. Then PC Alexander thought that it would
better to directly talk to Rajiv Gandhi on this matter. And wife of Rajiv
Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi was not at all wanted to Rajiv Gandhi to be the next prime
minister. Then Rajiv Gandhi talked to PC Alexander regarding the sworn of the
prime minister. Then it was decided that after the arrival of president Gyani
Jail Singh the oath will be taken. The it was all on the shoulder of president
to sworn Rajiv Gandhi as the next prime minister of India. Then president
directly reached AIIMS Delhi. On the way to AIIMS Delhi, his car was also
attacked. By 6pm in the evening of 31st October 1984 Rajiv Gandhi
completed the oath as the next prime minister. With that oath Rajiv Gandhi
became the youngest prime minister of India. After taking oath as the prime
minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi had two basic and important responsibilities
one was the task of the prime minister and other was to look after the ongoing
riots in the country. and the central point of the violence and the riots was
the capital itself Delhi. In Delhi the situation was getting worst and the
destruction was at the peak. Journalist Jarnail Singh claims that the
happenings of 1984 was a planned one of the congress party. Then to have
control over the ongoing situation government called army but army didn’t have
the order to fire the rioters. Police was accused that the members of the
police were supporting the riots and the rioters. Not only in Delhi but also in
Kanpur and Bokaro number Sikhs were killed without any reason. Few people term
the killings of Sikhs as genocide as well and for them it was a programme and
pre planned thing by the congress government to target the Sikhs. In few days
of power, Rajiv Gandhi led government was in court for the genocide of the
Sikhs. Once Rajiv Gandhi was giving a speech in Boat club, Delhi where he
mentioned that when a giant tree falls, the world shakes a bit. What he was
trying to say indirectly that whatever thing is happening after his mother
prime minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination is okay and it is natural. Many
congress leaders were alleged for prompting and empowering the riots and
violence against the Sikhs. Almost ten commission were formed to assess the
Sikh riots in 1984 but that couldn’t give the life to the already dead Sikhs.
With all these happenings politics went on in the nation. After one month to
the genocide of Sikhs the campaigning for the election started. In November election
was announced all over the nation. In the result congress backed 409 seat with
biggest margin win yet again. It was the biggest margin win for congress so
far. The for the second time Rajiv Gandhi took the oath as the prime minister
of India, this time new opportunity and new challenges were knocking before
him. He was the youngest prime minister so far and his vision was to bring
India into 21st century. To understand the country, he toured many
places, he was talking about the change in contemporary politics, computers and
all these things got appreciation from the whole country. he was popularly
known as Mr. Clean. The new era of politic started from Indore for Rajiv Gandhi
led government. Sahabanu was a 62-year-old Muslim women and Mohd. Ahmed Khan of
Madhya Pradesh was the husband of Sahabanu and a renowned lawyer of that time.
After 43 years to their relationship, he boycotted Sahabanu with five
children’s. When Sahabanu asked for her rights then Mohd. Ahmed Khan challenged
her by giving her divorce. After divorce Mohd. Ahmed Khan gave the amount of
Meher to Sahabanu. Sahabanu was demanding the stipend from Mohd. Ahmed Khan but
he refused to give any other stipend to Sahabanu. Then Sahabanu opted to court
to get her right. From the lower court to the high court everywhere verdicts
were given in favour of Sahabanu. Finally, then case forwarded to supreme
court. Prior to Sahabanu case supercut court also given verdict in favour of
stipend to the Muslim women. Earlier Muslim women didn’t have the power to go
to court over these issues but which the Hindu women were having the right to
go to court to fight for the demand related to these issues. At first Sahabanu
case was handled by two bench of judge and they gave the verdict that the
previous verdict of the supreme court need to be change. Then on 23rd
April 1985 a five bench of judge led by YB Chandrachud gave the verdict that Muslim
women will get stipend of five hundred rupees each month. The verdict went in
favour of Sahabanu. And the supreme court gave the suggestion to the government
to form the uniform civil code. With that historic verdict of supreme court, it
raised a new challenge before Rajiv Gandhi because few Muslim organisation were
against of this verdict, according to them it was against their law and religion.
Pressure was mounting on Rajiv Gandhi led government that they should cancel
the verdict of supreme court and should amend the constitution by passing
special resolution. Then in July 1985 the secretary of Indian Muslim League GM Banat
Wala presented private member bill in Lok Sabha. But the bill couldn’t able
pass in the Lok Sabha. Even if the bill didn’t pass in the assembly but the
problem of Rajiv Gandhi government was not getting any particular way out of
that issue. Few people were thinking that as Rajiv Gandhi is belonging to the
era of new modern age, so he will use that law for the betterment of the Muslim
Women. The issue was getting momentum day by day and that impacted Rajiv Gandhi
and he couldn’t able stand on his approach for a long time. He knew the fact
that Muslim organisations are unhappy with the decision of supreme court. Then
everything got clear when Rajiv Gandhi led government presented a bill in the
parliament on February month of 1986. It is known as The Muslim Women
Protection of Rights on Divorce Act 1986. According to the bill it was decided
that only up to three months of marriage the maintenance stipend with the
amount of Meher will be given to Muslim women and with that bill the power of
Muslim women to go to court for these issues were also deleted. Then that bill
was present in both the house and it got negative reaction and few accused
Rajiv Gandhi government as not secular and his government is surrendering
before the hard core Muslims. But as Rajiv Gandhi led congress party was having
the majority so finally the bill got passed. Then the verdict of supreme court
which came in favour of Sahabanu went fruitless. With that another political issues
came to the limelight, then politics started to rise over the Ajodhya Ram Mandir
issue and Rajiv Gandhi was the centre of that issue. 30th January
1986 it was the day on which day UC Pandey appealed in the district court that
the door should open and the people should worship their lord. Within two days’
judge of the district court KM Pandey gave the verdict that the doors should
open and the people can go in and worship their lord. After the verdict in
afternoon, then by evening the administration opened up the doors. Then it gave
a new life to the Ram Mandir politics. The district administration implemented
the decision of district court only within 40 minutes. The district court
didn’t let the party to go to the higher court and the door opening ceremony
was telecasted live in the Doordarshan. During that point of time prime
minister Rajiv Gandhi was on the tour of Maldives. That incident which took the
Hindu and Muslims to a state of war in future in India. Questions were coming
from various places that how could the district court gave the verdict within
just two days and most importantly why the Rajiv Gandhi led government is
silent over this issue. Actually Rajiv Gandhi led government was in trouble
that after passing the bill on Muslim women in the parliament and then it was
facing a challenge from the Hindu community that the doors of Ram Mandir should
be open. So the government had to kept the demand to keep the other side
silent. Then the case went up to Lucknow high court, where the verdict came
that there will be no changes to original monument. In those days Babri Masjhid
action committee was formed. Advocate Zafaryab Zilani became the convenor of
the Babri Masjhid action committee. The Zafaryab Zilani met the chief minister
Birbahdur Singh, in which meeting chief minister made everything clear that he
and his government has no relation with this issue. Then question came that who
is the person behind this issue? The agitation was getting momentum day by day
and it was becoming a national issue because the Hindu organisation were
demanding to build the temple as soon as possible.
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