The life and legacy of Rajiv Gandhi

Rajiv Gandhi was an unusual Indian politician. He had seen both his grandfather and mother as prime ministers and grown up in a political home — yet he maintained a distinct professional identity as a pilot and attempted to live a regular, urban, upper middle-class life, till his brother, Sanjay Gandhi’s air crash altered the trajectory of his family and Indian politics. Responding to the call of his mother, Indira, Rajiv Gandhi entered politics — only to become prime minister within three years, as his mother fell to assassins.

This distinct background lent Rajiv Gandhi a fresh perspective when he swept to power. His historic 1985 address to the Congress, during its centenary, was a blistering critique of the way the party functioned. He brought in technology to governance, empowered panchayati raj institutions, engineered domestic peace agreements, shepherded a rapprochement with China, and mentored a generation of young leaders and technocrats. But eventually, he got ensnared in the same political culture he so disapproved. He practised identity politics (Shah Bano being the most obvious example), mishandled Kashmir (the scars of the rigged 1987 elections still remain), got accused of corruption (which, to be fair, never got proven in the case of Bofors), and led India into a disastrous military conflict in Sri Lanka, with tragic consequences.

Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination was a national tragedy. To be true to his legacy, India must never allow terrorism to win, even as his party must build on his commitment to modernity and grassroots democracy.