HOMAGE TO RAJIV GANDHI
Rajiv’s Entry into Politics was due to the sudden and
untimely death of his brother Sanjay Gandhi in an aero plane crash on 23-06-1980.
On 31 October 1984, the Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi's
mother, Indira Gandhi, was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards, which led to
violent riots against Sikhs.
Rajiv Gandhi took his oath on 31 December 1984 after winning
really unbelievable landslide victory – 411 seats out of total 542 seats and at 40, he was the youngest Prime Minister
of India.
Both his entry into politics and his becoming PM were tragic
and alas ! after his completion of one term as PM, Rajiv was brutally
assassinated by a lady LTTE sponsored and trained human bomb.
It was another tragic note that though with much fanfare
Rajiv started his political career as Mr.Clean but ended up as Mr. Corrupt that
had triggered the downfall of Congress Rule under his wife Sonia’s collusion
rule resulting in Congress Mukt Bharat due to Pappu – Rahul’s immature
political moves.
When Rajiv was born, Pandit Jawarhal Nehru was in Jail in
Bombay in August 20, 1944. Nehru could get a fleeting glimpse of Rajiv only
seven months later, when he was being shifted to Naini Jail in Allahabad.
Ferize and Indra Gandhi held baby Rajiv aloft under a dim streetlight so that
the grand father Nehru could see his grand son, when the prison van passed by.
Nehru christened the child Rajiv Ratna or jewel adorned Lotus. The Kamala – Nehru’s wife, means Lotus and Ratna is another word for Jawahar which means jewel. By these, Nehru had chosen the name for Rajiv – very carefully – it was a combination of his own name and that of his late wife, Kamala.
Like Martin Luather King Jr. Rajiv, on his idea of New India, said, “I am young, I, too, have a dream!.” But, he could not make his dream a reality due to his sudden tragic death during his election campaign.
Sriperumbudur Memorial was completed and dedicated to the
nation by president APJ Abdul Kalam on October 10, 2003.The central spot of the
memorial has a raised platform with a deep red jasper haematite rock marking
the place where Rajiv fell. Behind this is a nine feet monolithic granite rock
on which is inset, in fine glass mosaic, a portrait of Rajiv. This central spot
is surrounded by seven elliptically placed granite columns. These pillars
represent the seven great rivers of India. The pillars are crowned by symbolic
bronze sculptures – each one represents the seven virtures and ideals of the
departed leader – viz. dharma (faith), satya (truth), nyaya (justice), gyan (a
quest for knowledge), tyag (supreme sacrtifice), shantha (tranquility) and
samriddhi (abundance). Sacred sands from those places across India where brave
men and women had laid down their lives for our beloved nation sanctified by
the holy rivers of India were laid into the foundations of these 7 columns.
E-Touch pays its homage to Rajiv – 6th Young Prime
Minister of India – whose untimely martyrdom had smashed his dreams for New
India, on his 30th Death Anniversary.
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