Opinion: Rajiv Gandhi's Reach-Out To RSS Had Indira Gandhi's Approval

Two narratives of present day Congress strategy against Narendra Modi appear to contradict the Grand Old Party's past stance, as revealed by a forthcoming book, "How Prime Ministers Decide", by veteran scribe Neerja Chowdhury. In a well-researched narrative, she recounts connections between Rajiv Gandhi and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leadership. She also gives an account of Indira Gandhi's cordial relationship with India's business community. This is in sharp contrast to the Rahul Gandhi-era Congress's malignancy towards the RSS. The criticism that the present government is influenced by a few "favoured businesspersons" is also called into question by the book's recapitulation of events in the life of Indira Gandhi, which were influenced by a business house. The type of influence that businesses wielded in the Indira and Rajiv eras are perhaps not in vogue today.

The book says that Rajiv Gandhi's meetings with then RSS chief Balasaheb Deoras' brother, Murlidhar Dattatreya Deoras, popularly known as Bhaurao Deoras, had the approval of Indira Gandhi. The meetings were held at the residences of intermediaries, promoters of Mohan Meakins, and India's leading liquor manufacturers of the time. Owner Kapil Mohan's home at 46 Pusa Road in West Delhi and his nephew Anil Bali's Friends Colony home were venues of the Rajiv-Bhaurao rendezvous. Bhaurao met Rajiv at 10 Janpath after he demitted power as Prime Minister.

(Relations between the Congress and RSS have usually been acrimonious. Most RSS leaders were jailed during the Emergency. Balasaheb Deoras was released after a short spell in prison. Mahatma Gandhi's disciple Acharya Vinoba Bhave, who had described the Emergency as 'Anusashan Parv', had spoken to Indira Gandhi prior to Deoras' release. Vinoba Bhave had played a background role in softening Indira Gandhi's attitude towards RSS.)