[111] In May 2012, Zee News reported there were 16 government schemes named after Gandhi, including Rajiv Awas Yojana and Rajiv Gandhi Udyami Mitra Yojana. [19] The report submitted by the Asian Games committee mentions Gandhi's "drive, zeal and initiative" for the "outstanding success" of the games. [32], In 1985, the Supreme Court of India ruled in favour of Muslim divorcee Shah Bano, declaring that her husband should give her alimony. [1] That December, Congress party won the largest Lok Sabha majority to date, 411 seats out of 542. [44] According to Laskar, Rajiv Gandhi's diplomacy was "properly calibrated" so as to be "conciliatory and accommodating when required" and "assertive when the occasion demanded." [citation needed] He was one of 33 members of the Indian parliament who were part of the Games' organising committee; sports historian Boria Majumdar writes that being "son of the prime minister he had a moral and unofficial authority" over the others. This was based on his prior historic speech before the Japanese National Diet on 29 November 1985, in which he said: Let us remove the mental partitions which obstruct the ennobling vision of the human family linked together in peace and prosperity. Mizo National Front demanded independence for Mizoram. The following year he won his brother's Parliamentary seat of Amethi and became a member of the Lok Sabha—the lower house of India's Parliament. [38], In his election manifesto for the 1984 general election, he did not mention any economic reforms, but after assuming office he tried to liberalise the country's economy. He stayed out of politics and led a domestic life with his wife and two children in Delhi. Rajiv Gandhi was a Prime Minister who strove to handhold India into the 21 st century. On 30 July 1987, a day after Gandhi went to Sri Lanka and signed the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord, an honour guard named Vijitha Rohana hit him on his shoulder with his rifle; Gandhi's quick reflexes saved him from injury. During Gandhi's time in office, public sector telecom companies MTNL and VSNL was developed. [77] On 29 December 2011, Ram Jethmalani made an indirect reference to the issue in the Rajya Sabha, calling it a shame that one of India's former Prime Ministers was named by a Swiss magazine. [71], Opposition parties Lok Dal, Indian National Congress (Socialist) and Jan Morcha united under Singh to form the Janata Dal. He also held a closed-door meeting with senior Akali Dal leaders to find a solution to the Punjab problem. . Raji… [42] He introduced measures to significantly reduce the Licence Raj after 1990, allowing businesses and individuals to purchase capital, consumer goods and import without bureaucratic restrictions. He lifted the ban on All India Sikh Students Federation and filed an inquiry into the 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots. [44] According to Laskar, Rajiv Gandhi's diplomacy was "properly calibrated" so as to be "conciliatory and accommodating when required" and "assertive when the occasion demanded." [citation needed], This article is about the politician. Citing McKinsey as a source, the article stated that Rajiv Gandhi held 2.5 billion Swiss francs in secret Indian accounts in Switzerland. [22], Rajiv Gandhi was in West Bengal on 31 October 1984 when his mother, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards, Satwant Singh and Beant Singh, to avenge the military attack on the Golden Temple during Operation Blue Star. . [101][102][103] On 18 February 2014, the Supreme Court of India commuted the death sentences of Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan to life imprisonment, holding that the 11-year-long delay in deciding their mercy petition had a dehumanising effect on them. [32], In 1985, the Supreme Court of India ruled in favour of Muslim divorcee Shah Bano, declaring that her husband should give her alimony. [88][89][90] Nalini Sriharan, the only surviving member of the five-member squad behind the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, is serving life imprisonment. This is a national endeavour. [106] The Government of India challenged this decision before the Supreme Court, which referred the case to a Constitution Bench.[107]. He returned to India in 1966 and became a professional pilot for the state-owned Indian Airlines. Rajiv Gandhi (født 20. august 1944 i Bombay, død 21. maj 1991 i Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu) var en indisk politiker, der var Indiens premierminister fra 1984 til 1989.. Rajiv Gandhi var søn af Indira Gandhi.Han overgik til katolicismen i forbindelse med giftermålet med Sonia Gandhi i 1969.De fik to børn: sønnen Rahul Gandhi og datteren Priyanka Gandhi (). [83] Gandhi's mutilated body was airlifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi for post-mortem, reconstruction and embalming.[84]. [27] Historian Meena Agarwal writes that even after taking the Prime Ministerial oath, he was a relatively unknown figure, "novice in politics" as he assumed the post after being an MP for three years. [41] His efforts created MTNL in 1986, and his public call offices—better known as PCOs—helped develop the telephone network in rural areas. [91] Nalini was a close friend of an LTTE operative known as Sriharan alias Murugan, another convict in the case who has been sentenced to death. [79] In December 2001, Subramanian Swamy filed a writ petition in the Delhi High Court; the Court ordered CBI to ascertain the truth of the allegations in May 2002. According to news website Oneindia, "About 20 years ago telephones were considered to be a thing for the use of the rich, but credit goes to Rajiv Gandhi for taking them to the rural masses". Gandhi signed the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord in July 1987. The China-Pakistan relationship is special (“we describe it as ‘taller than the mountains, deeper than the seas, and sweeter than honey”, she says), and, as for the Gandhis, both Indira and Rajiv Gandhi remain “very popular”. [97] The execution of the three convicts was scheduled for 9 September 2011. his winsome smile, charm and decency were his valuable personal assets. Nalini later gave birth to a girl, Harithra, in prison. The report of the Jain Commission created controversy when it accused the Tamil Nadu chief minister Karunanidhi of a role in the assassination, leading to Congress withdrawing its support for the I. K. Gujral government and fresh elections in 1998. He signed the Assam Accord on 15 August 1985. Punjab's state assembly election was scheduled in September 1985, but Longowal died and was replaced by Surjit Singh Barnala, who formed the government. [37] Gandhi's colleague Arif Mohammad Khan, who was then a Member of Parliament, resigned in protest. Delhi: South Asia Books. The Act diluted the Supreme Court judgment and allowed maintenance payments to divorced women only during the period of Iddah, or until 90 days after the divorce, according to the provisions of Islamic law. Feroze Gandhi. The Supreme Court judgement, by Justice K. T. Thomas, confirmed that Gandhi was killed because of personal animosity by the LTTE chief Prabhakaran arising from his sending the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to Sri Lanka and the alleged IPKF atrocities against Sri Lankan Tamils. [37], In November 1991, Schweizer Illustrierte magazine published an article on black money held in secret accounts by Imelda Marcos and 14 other rulers of Third World countries. In 1992, the Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award was instituted by the Indian National Congress Party. In that year, the Sri Lankan army blockaded the Tamil majority district of Jaffna; Gandhi ordered relief supplies to be dropped into the area by parachute because the Sri Lankan navy did not allow the Indian Navy to enter.[56]. A state funeral was held for Gandhi on 24 May 1991; it was telecast live and was attended by dignitaries from over 60 countries. He also criticised Gandhi for his reluctance to bring the army from Meerut to handle the mob. [13] 70 members of the Congress party signed a proposal and went to Indira, urging Rajiv to enter politics. [13] 70 members of the Congress party signed a proposal and went to Indira, urging Rajiv to enter politics. Rajiv Gandhi was an outsider in politics, his political life, accidental. But, when a mighty tree falls, it is only natural that the earth around it does shake a little". Rajiv Ratna Gandhi (/ ˈ r ɑː dʒ iː v ˈ ɡ ɑː n d iː / (); 20 August 1944 – 21 May 1991) was an Indian politician who served as the 6th Prime Minister of India from 1984 to 1989. During Gandhi's time in office, public sector telecom companies MTNL and VSNL was developed. Two groups called National Security Guard and Special Action Group were created; they surrounded the temple in a 10-day siege during which the extremists' weapons were confiscated. He said the government was "planning to rename" all the stadia in Haryana state named after him. 1) When was Rajiv Gandhi born? Rajiv Ratna Gandhi (/ˈrɑːdʒiːv ˈɡɑːndiː/ (listen); 20 August 1944 – 21 May 1991) was an Indian politician who served as the 6th Prime Minister of India from 1984 to 1989. [73] Eminent lawyer and politician, former Law Minister of India Ram Jethmalani said that as Prime Minister, Gandhi was "lacklustre and mediocre". ... His Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency seat was held by his daughter-in-law, and wife of Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi in 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019. . [76] The Russian government confirmed this disclosure and defended the payments as necessary for Soviet ideological interest. [68], In his book, Unknown Facets of Rajiv Gandhi, Jyoti Basu and Indrajit Gupta, released in November 2013, former CBI director Dr. A P Mukherjee wrote that Gandhi wanted commission paid by defence suppliers to be used exclusively for meeting running expenses of the Congress party. Vij drew criticism from Congress leader Kuldeep Sharma, who said it was an "insult to their national leaders". Some Indian Muslims treated it as an encroachment upon Muslim Personal Law and protested against it. [9] In 1968, after three years of courtship, he married Edvige Antonia Albina Màino, who changed her name to Sonia Gandhi and made India her home. It is a fact that attacks on religious … [citation needed] From the Third Indira Gandhi ministry, he removed two powerful figures; Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Railway Minister A. On 23 April 1985, a 62-year old Muslim woman Shah Bano won the right to alimony in the Supreme Court. He said he would monitor their performance and would "fire ministers who do not come to the mark". Congress leader Anand Sharma said, "Operation Black Thunder effectively demonstrated the will of Rajiv Gandhi's government to take firm action to bring peace to Punjab". Gandhi agreed to their demands. While campaigning for the elections, he was assassinated by a suicide bomber from the LTTE. The Buddha's message of compassion is the very condition of human survival in our age. [57], Chanderasekar withdrew the IPKF in 1989.[55]. This was met by an uproar and a demand for withdrawal of the remark by the ruling Congress party members. Military applications of these developments could rapidly undermine the existing convention against the military use of biological weapons. A week later, the party officially announced his candidacy for the constituency. [10], On 23 June 1980, Rajiv's younger brother Sanjay Gandhi died unexpectedly in an aeroplane crash. By my ducking, he missed my head and the brunt of the blow came on my shoulder below the left ear. [91] Nalini was a close friend of an LTTE operative known as Sriharan alias Murugan, another convict in the case who has been sentenced to death. Gandhi was from the politically powerful Nehru–Gandhi family, which had been associated with the Indian National Congress party. In 1972, the couple had a daughter, Priyanka Gandhi, who married Robert Vadra. Indira told them it was Rajiv's decision whether to enter politics. [39] He did so by providing incentives to make private production profitable. [59], Soon after assuming office, Gandhi released the leaders of the Akali Dal who had been imprisoned since 1984's Operation Blue Star during Indira Gandhi's prime ministership. 2) Where was Rajiv Gandhi born? Gandhi officially became the President of the Congress party, which won a landslide victory with the largest majority in history of the Indian Parliament, giving Gandhi absolute control of government. [71], Opposition parties Lok Dal, Indian National Congress (Socialist) and Jan Morcha united under Singh to form the Janata Dal. [2], Rajiv Gandhi was born in Bombay on 20 August 1944 to Indira and Feroze Gandhi. [39] Rural and tribal people protested because they saw them as "pro-rich" and "pro-city" reforms. Godse stated that "Gandhi had betrayed his Hindu religion and culture by supporting Muslims at the expense of Hindus" because his lectures of ahimsa (non-violence) were directed at and accepted by the Hindu community only. Among them, the cleric Chandraswami was suspected of involvement, including financing the assassination. Congress leader Anand Sharma said, "Operation Black Thunder effectively demonstrated the will of Rajiv Gandhi's government to take firm action to bring peace to Punjab". A state funeral was held for Gandhi on 24 May 1991; it was telecast live and was attended by dignitaries from over 60 countries. However, at the end, they were unable to save Rajiv Gandhi. [78], In 1992, the Indian newspapers Times of India and The Hindu published reports alleging that Rajiv Gandhi had received funds from the KGB. He took office after the 1984 assassination of his mother, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, to become the youngest Indian Prime Minister at the age of 40. [110], A Right to Information (RTI) request filed in August 2009 found that more than 450 government projects and schemes are named after the Gandhi-Nehru family. Before the 1962 (conflict), she adds, “India and China had very good relations”. It was hoped this would increase economic growth and improve the quality of investment. . He also criticised Gandhi for his reluctance to bring the army from Meerut to handle the mob. [65] Pitroda also said their plan to expand India's telephone network succeeded because of Gandhi's political support. [93] Later, it was reported that Gandhi's daughter, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, had met Nalini at Vellore Central Prison in March 2008. The state government rejected her request. Rajiv Gandhi was an Indian politician who began serving as the 6th Prime Minister of India after his mother Indira Gandhi was assassinated in 1984. Mizo National Front demanded independence for Mizoram. He signed the Assam Accord on 15 August 1985. [8], Gandhi returned to India in 1966, the year his mother became Prime Minister. We have accepted a role which is difficult, but which is in our national interests to discharge. Gandhi really was not studious enough, as he went on to admit later. a) 16 October 1944 b) 20 August 1944 c) 24 July 1946 d) 14 August 1944. [12] He advised Rajiv not to fly aeroplanes and instead "dedicate himself to the service of the nation". [24], Soon after assuming office, Gandhi asked President Singh to dissolve Parliament and hold fresh elections, as the Lok Sabha had completed its five-year term. This led to differences and V.P.Singh resigned from the cabinet. he could not conceal his feeling that Rajiv Gandhi would be invincible for the opposition. [44] According to Laskar, the "whole gamut" of Rajiv Gandhi's foreign policy was "geared towards" making India "strong, independent, self-reliant and in the front rank of the nations of the world." This was met by an uproar and a demand for withdrawal of the remark by the ruling Congress party members. The West Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu said, "The Cabinet change reflects the instability of the Congress (I) Government at the Centre". [citation needed] From the Third Indira Gandhi ministry, he removed two powerful figures; Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Railway Minister A. Vasantdada Patil proposed Rajiv as a candidate for the Amethi constituency, which was accepted by all members at the meeting. Rajiv Gandhi was the former Prime Minister of India. We know the people were very angry and for a few days it seemed that India had been shaken. . Hearing the news, he returned to Delhi and cremated Sanjay's body. Gandhi signed the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord in July 1987. Bofors scandal, HDW scandal and 1989 elections defeat, 'GANDHI, Rajiv', Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014; online edn, April 2014, PM Rajeev Gandhi at the Fifteenth special session of, Speech by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi of India at the Joint Session of the Japanese Upper and Lower Houses, G.O.Ms.No.406, Home Department, dated 24 April 2000, CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (, President of the Indian National Congress, The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act 1986, Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War, Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, "Rahul first in three generations with a world university degree", "World | South Asia | Leaders 'incited' anti-Sikh riots", "1984: Rajiv Gandhi wins landslide election victory", "Rajiv Gandhi takes oath as India's prime minister", "Shri Vishwanath Pratap Singh : Biography", "Provisions of Anti-Defection Law in India", "Rajiv Gandhi aimed at value based education in rural India through JNVs", "Unequal effects of Liberalisation – Dismantling the license raj in India", "Rajiv Gandhi's Diplomacy: Historic Significance and Contemporary Relevance", "Modi to the land where India staged 'Operation Wild Flowers are Blooming, Documents related to Japan - South Asia Relations, India’s NSG bid foiled – China stands tall, Switzerland ‘backstabs’, "No regrets for attack on Rajiv, says Lankan guard", "Sri Lankan in Honour Guard Attacks Gandhi", "Telecom revolution driving development; credit to Rajiv", "Economic Milestone: Ushering in Telecom Reforms (1985)", "Walk the talk - an interview with V.P.Singh", Rajiv Gandhi told me to use arms deal payoffs for party funds: Ex-CBI chief, "Rajiv Gandhi wanted Bofors money to run Congress: Ex-CBI chief", "Bofors scandal more of a media trial: Pranab Mukherjee", "Janata Parivar: Can 'socialist' Mulayam and co stop the Modi wave? [104][105] On 19 February 2014 Tamil Nadu government decided to release all seven convicts in Rajiv Gandhi's assassination case, including A. G. Perarivalan and Nalini. Despite Akali opposition, in January 1985, Gandhi signed the Rajiv-Longowal Accord with Akali leader HS Longowal. In 1986, he announced a National Policy on Education to modernise and expand higher education programs across India. LTTE spokesman Anton Balasingham told the Indian television channel NDTV the killing was a "great tragedy, a monumental historical tragedy which we deeply regret". He is also the grandson of Jawaharlal Nehru and father to well-known politicians Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi. The court confirmed the death sentences of four of the convicts, including Nalini, on 11 May 1999. [79] In December 2001, Subramanian Swamy filed a writ petition in the Delhi High Court; the Court ordered CBI to ascertain the truth of the allegations in May 2002. In 1986, he founded the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya System, which is a Central government-based education institution that provides rural populations with free residential education from grades six to twelve. [19] The report submitted by the Asian Games committee mentions Gandhi's "drive, zeal and initiative" for the "outstanding success" of the games. [95][96], In August 2011, the President of India rejected the clemency pleas of Murugan and two others on death row—Suthendraraja, alias Santhan, and Perarivalan, alias Arivu. Rajiv along with his brother Sanjay Gandhi went to Shiv Niketan school. [citation needed], 6th Prime Minister of India from 1984 to 1989, This article is about the politician. Vij drew criticism from Congress leader Kuldeep Sharma, who said it was an "insult to their national leaders". Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum. [29] During his tenure as Prime Minister, Gandhi frequently shuffled his cabinet ministers, drawing criticism from the magazine India Today, which called it a "wheel of confusion". [clarification needed][79], Rajiv Gandhi's last public meeting was on 21 May 1991, at Sriperumbudur, a village approximately 40 km (25 mi) from Madras (present-day Chennai), where he was assassinated while campaigning for the Sriperumbudur Lok Sabha Congress candidate. Since his death, 21 May has been declared Anti-Terrorism Day in India. [11] As per Agarwal, in the week following Sanjay's death, Shankaracharya Swami Shri Swaroopanand, a saint from Badrinath, visited the family's house to offer his condolences. [72] Singh led the National Front coalition to victory in 1989 elections and he was sworn in as Prime Minister. [70] In May 2015, Indian president Pranab Mukherjee said the scandal was a "media trial" as "no Indian court has as yet established it as a scandal". Wijemuni was imprisoned for two-and-a-half years for the assault. In mid-1987, the Bofors scandal damaged his corruption-free image and resulted in a major defeat for his party in the 1989 election. Gandhi agreed to their demands. Despite Akali opposition, in January 1985, Gandhi signed the Rajiv-Longowal Accord with Akali leader HS Longowal. [38], In his election manifesto for the 1984 general election, he did not mention any economic reforms, but after assuming office he tried to liberalise the country's economy. In mid-1987, the Bofors scandal damaged his corruption-free image and resulted in a major defeat for his party in the 1989 election. [79] In their 1994 book The State Within a State, journalists Yevgenia Albats and Catherine Fitzpatrick quoted a letter signed by Viktor Chebrikov, head of the KGB, in the 1980s. New knowledge is being generated in the life sciences. [17] He took his oath on 17 August as Member of Parliament. Rajiv was also educated at the Ecole D'Humanité, an international boarding school in Switzerland. [72] Singh led the National Front coalition to victory in 1989 elections and he was sworn in as Prime Minister. [9] In 1968, after three years of courtship, he married Edvige Antonia Albina Màino, who changed her name to Sonia Gandhi and made India her home. Commenting on the anti-Sikh riots in Delhi, Rajiv Gandhi said, "When a giant tree falls, the earth below shakes";[23] a statement for which he was widely criticised. [36] Lawyer and former Law Minister of India, Ram Jethmalani, called the Act "retrogressive obscurantism for short-term minority populism". [67], In an interview in July 2005, V.P.Singh explained that his fall out with Rajiv Gandhi was not due to the Bofors deal, but rather due to the HDW deal. He said the government was "planning to rename" all the stadia in Haryana state named after him. Many Congress politicians were accused of orchestrating the violence. [65] Pitroda also said their plan to expand India's telephone network succeeded because of Gandhi's political support. I ducked down a little bit in a reflex action. This was in contrast to Section 125 of the Code. [36] Lawyer and former Law Minister of India, Ram Jethmalani, called the Act "retrogressive obscurantism for short-term minority populism". His leadership was tested over the next few days as organised mobs of congress supporters rioted against the Sikh community, resulting in anti-Sikh massacres in Delhi with sources estimate the number of Sikh deaths at about 8,000–17,000. Upon discovering the scandal, Singh was dismissed from office and later resigned his Congress membership. In 1970, he was employed as a pilot by Air India; unlike Sanjay, he did not exhibit any interest of joining politics. She then bent down to touch his feet and detonated a belt laden with 700 g (1.5 lb) of RDX explosives tucked under her dress. [57] Gandhi said: The Government of India believe that, despite some problems and delays, many of which were foreseen but unavoidable in the resolution of an issue of this magnitude and complexity, this Agreement represents the only way of safeguarding legitimate Tamil interests and ensuring a durable peace in Sri Lanka. Even a few years ago in the Wikipedia page his name was written as Rajiv (Khan) Gandhi. Nalini later gave birth to a girl, Harithra, in prison. LTTE spokesman Anton Balasingham told the Indian television channel NDTV the killing was a "great tragedy, a monumental historical tragedy which we deeply regret". Both the Hindu right and liberals blame Rajiv Gandhi for the Shah Bano flip-flop, accusing him of indulging in minority appeasement. he could not conceal his feeling that Rajiv Gandhi would be invincible for the opposition. [13] Rajiv entered politics on 16 February 1981, when he addressed a national farmers' rally in Delhi. [14] During this time, he was still an employee of Air India. The Mizoram Peace Accord was signed on June 30, 1986, by Shri Laldenga, leader of the movement, Shri R. D. Pradhan, Union Home Secretary at the time, and Shri Lalkhama, Chief Secretary to the Government of Mizoram. He became the 6th and the youngest Prime Minister of India at the age of 40. The accord "envisaged a devolution of power to the Tamil-majority areas", dissolved the LTTE, and designated Tamil as an official language of Sri Lanka. 3) What is Rajiv Gandhi’s full name? Two groups called National Security Guard and Special Action Group were created; they surrounded the temple in a 10-day siege during which the extremists' weapons were confiscated. He said he would monitor their performance and would "fire ministers who do not come to the mark". The state government rejected her request. A week later, the party officially announced his candidacy for the constituency. Indian politics got the youngest ever Prime minister in Rajiv Gandhi. [42] He introduced measures to significantly reduce the Licence Raj after 1990, allowing businesses and individuals to purchase capital, consumer goods and import without bureaucratic restrictions. In 1968, he married Sonia Gandhi; the couple settled in Delhi to a domestic life with their children Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. [20] At a Boat Club rally 19 days after the assassination, Gandhi said, "Some riots took place in the country following the murder of Indiraji. [34][35] Indian magazine Business and Economics called it a minority appeasement by Gandhi. . Many Congress politicians were accused of orchestrating the violence. Nalini's death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in April 2000. [98][99][100] Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan have said they are political prisoners rather than ordinary criminals. He claimed a central role in the eyes of the public after he assumed the position as the youngest Prime Minister of India. [11] As per Agarwal, in the week following Sanjay's death, Shankaracharya Swami Shri Swaroopanand, a saint from Badrinath, visited the family's house to offer his condolences.