Remembering Sanjay Gandhi- The man behind 1975 Emergency

New Delhi: Sanjay Gandhi's role as a politician was short lived due to his premature death. Nonetheless, he made his presence felt on Indian political horizon in a very short span of time. The ‘controversial Gandhi' had his political career full of storms and arguments primarily on account of his tough and brash attitude. Sanjay Gandhi was the youngest son of Indira and Feroze Gandhi. He was born on 14th December, 1946 and is said to be his mother's favorite son. Rajiv Gandhi was Sanjay Gandhi's elder brother.Let's have a look at his personal life and political journey. Sanjay was never very studious. Sanjay Gandhi initially studied in Welham Boys' School and then at Doon School in Dehradun. He didn't attend college. His profound interest in sports fetched him an apprenticeship at Rolls-Royce, England. He also got a flying license. Both Rajiv and Sanjay Gandhi loved to fly. This is one of the rare similarities between the two brothers. Sanjay married the 18-year old Maneka Gandhi in 1974. They were blessed with a son, Varun Gandhi who is now a Member of Parliament from Sultanpur constituency in UP. Unlike his elder brother Rajiv, Sanjay took active part in politics and remained close to his mother. From the beginning of his political career during the Emergency in 1975 to his death in 1980, Sanjay was a dominant figure on Indian political scene. It was believed that during the emergency period it was Sanjay Gandhi who was controlling the nation instead of the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.At one point of time, Sanjay was looked upon as the next political heir of Nehru-Gandhi dynasty. But unfortunately his political career always encountered web of controversy. Indira Gandhi doted on Sanjay Gandhi and delegated a lot of responsibility to him. This was criticized by many people including members of the Congress party. Sanjay Gandhi founded Maruti Udyog. Today it is a premier car manufacturing corporation in India. But the company did not produce any vehicles during Sanjay's lifetime.In 1971, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's Cabinet proposed the production of a “People's car”—an efficient indigenous car that middle-class Indians could afford. While Sanjay Gandhi had no experience, he was given the contract and the exclusive production license. There were many other eligible people but Indira Gandhi's favoritism and desire to keep power confined within the family was apparent. Sanjay Gandhi's rise in politics was ill timed. He rose in importance as Indira Gandhi's advisor in an extremely hostile political environment just before and soon after the Emergency of 1975. Sanjay never held an important position or was never handed a ministry. But he worked in the background and had quite an assertive control over situations. Owing to his growing importance many Congress loyalists also chose to take a back seat or were reluctant to be a part of the government. The then Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Inder Kumar Gujral resigned from his post as Sanjay attempted to direct the affairs of his ministry and act as his instructor. Inder Singh Gujral was a senior member of the party and he would not allow himself to be subordinate to Sanjay Gandhi. Kishore Kumar, a well known singer cum actor and director too was a victim of Sanjay Gandhi's aggressiveness. Sanjay had banned his songs on All India Radio after he refused to singh for Congress party in a rally at Mumbai during the Emergency. On one hand Sanjay Gandhi beautified the Jama Masjid but it was done at the cost of several slum dwellers being left homeless. Protesting against Sanjay's high-handedness , Over 150 people lost their lives in police firing while protesting against the high-handedness of Sanjay Gandhi who had ordered the displacement of thousands of people living in those slums.Another case of ruthlessness of Sanjay Gandhi was when the film Kissa Kursi Ka was banned. This was a film based on political satire directed by Amritlal Nahata. The protagonist in the film was a spoof of Sanjay Gandhi. Though the director claimed that all the characters in the film were fictional, Sanjay Gandhi had its negatives destroyed by burning them. The film had been sent to the Censor Board for approval. Subsequently, all the prints and the master-print of the film at Censor Board office were picked up and later brought to Maruti factory in Gurgaon where these prints were burned.In 1979 the court gave its judgment. Sanjay Gandhi was sentenced to jail and was denied bail. The verdict was later overturned.In September 1976, Sanjay Gandhi initiated a widespread compulsory sterilization program to check population growth. Many of Indira's cabinet ministers resented Sanjay's interference in government's decision making. Some of them resigned as well but nothing could deter Sanjay who remained unfazed by criticism. Sanjay stood for his first election to the Indian parliament following the lifting of the Emergency in March 1977. This election saw the crushing defeat of not only Sanjay in his constituency of Amethi but also the wiping out of Indira's Congress party throughout North India.However, Sanjay won Amethi for the Congress in the next general election held in January 1980.Just one month before his death, he was appointed General Secretary of the Congress Party in May 1980.There is no place for coincidence where power, money and politics are involved. Conspiracy too is inevitable.Sanjay Gandhi was a contentious person. Throughout his short lived life he earned more enemies than friends. It is believed that Sanjay finally met with death on the third attempt. There were three assassination attempts on him. One of the attacks included a high powered rifle when he was visiting Uttar Pradesh. This information was obtained through Wikileaks. In a September 1976 dispatch, the US embassy reported that the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's younger son was targeted by an unknown assailant in a “well planned assassination attempt” which failed. According to the date the incident occurred during the Emergency period.In both these attempt Sanjay escaped unhurt. To these attacks Indira Gandhi had said, “He is much too small a fry a person because he is not going to be the Prime Minister or the President. All he can be is a Congress worker. So I think the attack is definitely on me.” It is believed that Indira Gandhi said this to shield her son from future attacks. Sanjay Gandhi died in 1980. He was flying a new aircraft of the Delhi Flying club. While performing aerobatic movements over his office he lost control over his plane and it crashed. Captain Subhash was the lone passenger on the plane. He too was killed. The aircraft plunged towards ground and tailspinned. The crash landing of the plane raised many eyebrows. The plane did not catch fire or explode after hitting the ground unlike any other crash landing.Sanjay Gandhi's body was mutilated to such an extent that it took eight doctors to stitch up his body in four hours. Indira Gandhi and Maneka were not allowed to see him till he was stiched up because the damaged was too intense. Sanjay Gandhi's death broke Indira. Maneka on the other hand left her in- laws soon after his death. She started her own party called Sanjay Vichar Manch. Maneka served in a number of non-Congress opposition led governments over the years. After Sanjay's death, Indira Gandhi pushed Rajiv Gandhi into politics. Rajiv had been working as a professional pilot with Indian Airlines. Azam Khan of Samajwadi party had once said that Sanjay Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were punished by Allah for “forcible” sterilization during the Emergency and ‘shilanyas' at the disputed site in Ayodhya. His comments were not appreciated and he was severely criticized. Sanjay Gandhi with mother and newly-wed wife Maneka