Rajiv Kolai Vazhakku - NHM's new book

Ordered the book online – “Rajiv Kolai Vazhakku” (Rajiv assassination case) authored by Mr Ragothaman – Chief Investigating officer of Special Investigation Team (SIT). Kizhakku Pathippagam has published this book too. (pages 227, Rs 100).

I was interested in this book for 3 reasons. First, this incident happened right around our graduation years where we can understand and analyze (and discuss endlessly!) the social, political situation that lead to this (unlike Mahatma’s where we have to go by books or hearsay), Second this happened right in Tamil Nadu, third being Rajiv was former Indian Premier and had all chances of bouncing back in that elections to power. Other than that I am not a Cong sympathizer and hence do not believe that Rajiv would have ushered in Raama Raajyam.

So, back to book. I received the book one afternoon and started reading it casually. Could not stop in between and completed it in one shot. Wonderfully written book. The author has narrated the investigation process from the beginning till its end.

The book explains step by step how the SIT started with just Haribabu (photographer) camera, his employer Suba Sundaram’s denial that Haribabu was not employed with him, Haribabu’s Mom’s doubtful behavior before the investigation team, his Dad’s body language – conveying that he wanted to share information but holding back because of his wife’s presence etc. From there, the book travels to Baghyanathan (Nalini’s brother), other LTTE functionaries and by implicating Pottu Ammaan and Prabhakaran and finally also explains why SIT team was waiting outside Sivarasan’s hideout in Bangalore with no meaningful action.

The book details the motive behind - why LTTE wanted to kill Rajiv and cites evidence towards that end. And also implies that this is not the work of any other group(s) or individuals.

3 assassinations have happened in India since Independence. Mahatma, Indira and Rajiv. Time has taught that we (Indians) lost Mahatma due to sheer irresponsibility. The powers that be at that time, felt that no one will kill Mahatma and hence the security was very lax and finally we paid the price. The same thing happened in Indira’s case also. The book says that in the senior Intelligence officers meet it was decided to remove all Sikhs who was employed to provide Indira’s security. One of the affected police guy went and cried before R K Dhawan and he rolled back the order. We know the result.

The book talks of ineffective security and a general lax attitude when Rajiv made his last trip. Rajiv flew in from AP that day and his copter was delayed by 2 hours. None of the policemen involved in providing security at Chennai were aware of the delay whereas Sivarasan was aware that Rajiv is arriving late by 2 hours. When CBI enquired with a Sub Inspector (in charge of recording and allowing who is permitted to garland Rajiv) – Inspector had recorded names in a piece of paper he picked from the floor. It did not carry any additional information about people seeking to garland the leader.

Secondly, the author talks of his anxiety in not allowing CBI to investigate the political leaders. Even when CBI had many reasons to suspect that some of the prominent TN leaders had prior information of the assassination, they were not allowed to enquire any of the politicians. The book details the reasons for suspicion and raises many questions in the readers mind.

Thirdly, the coordination between RAW, IB, CBI and Jain Commission etc. The author has explained that instead of working together, these agencies were at loggerheads helping the common enemy. (Apparently, the then RAW chief kept stating, LTTE did not commit this crime and hence that angle should not be probed at all).

On the whole, I agree with the author that we need to know the truth and what happened during those days. For those inclined to know about the Rajiv assassination case, I would recommend to read this book.

Notes from a School Visit

Like many things in life, I was neither in the front bench nor was I a last bencher in the school, probably because of this; I don't remember an instance when my parents had to come to school to meet the teachers - for good or bad. This being the case, I find it strange to drag myself to my daughter's school every quarter to meet her class teacher and that too on a Saturday. Now, don't get me wrong, I love the overall experience, only find it strange!

The D-day starts with some instructions by my daughter on what to say and what not to say to the teacher. She is not required to be with me during the interview and hence, quite naturally, she is worried. I drive down to the school, and reach a spot a couple of kms before the school. The road gets choked after this point with the many hundred parents and their cars. We are guided to a parking lot and shuttles run from the lot to the school. For someone who has always used the public transport for commute to school, (Running a fleet of buses was never a priority for most of the schools in the 70s and 80s) and hence never traveled in a school bus, I enjoy the short ride despite the inconvenience of fitting into a seat which is obviously not designed for elders. Luckily the distance is short and I walk out with just a couple of cramps.

The most difficult part starts now; there is a long queue outside every classroom, eager parents line up to meet the teachers; with great reluctance I join the line and start to twiddle my fingers and keep shifting my weight from one leg to another. I wonder what these parents have to discuss for so long. My question is answered soon, as I enter the class room and a couple discussing with great eagerness the progress of their kid who is in the 5th standard (my turn is next, hence allowed in the classroom -much like the guy in a wedding dining hall, who wants to occupy your seat for the next round and stands behind you as you are in the last course of your meal, nudging ever so lightly). I could strain a bit and hear the parents talking to the teacher about the kid and I could hear that the teacher suggesting psychiatric help for the kid to help him cope with the class and the social environment it provides and primarily to hold his attention when something remotely related to studies happens at the class – thankfully students are not required at these meetings.

My turn is on and I just breeze in, collect the report, thank the teacher for making my daughter wanting to come to the school every day, sign a couple of sheets and walk out -All in about 2 mins. This stuns many parents who are waiting outside and must think that I am an irresponsible father having scant interest in my daughter’s progress, but I guess the teacher is very pleased to see the back of a parent so fast. My daughter will be happy that I did not mess up.

I look at the grade sheet, and I am amazed, the sheet has some four pages (A4 size) and has close to some 60 line items, this is much more complicated than the appraisal system at my office (believe me, our appraisal system ‘IS’ complicated). For a 10 year old at the 5th standard, first term result -this is too much. My 10th mark sheet had 5 line items for 5 subjects, those were the days.

I wander around the school and this is my favorite part. Even though kids are not required to be in the school, there are still many children running around at about 100 kms per hour and are quite oblivious about the great struggle the elders have to take to guide them to a brave new world. A world of great vanity and make believe. They seem to understand what the grand master Chaplin once said: In the end, everything is a gag.