Former Union Minister and Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar has pointed fingers at the Indian Army for the perceived downfall of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s Sri Lanka policy, stating that the Army “let him down.” Aiyar asserted that Gandhi remained steadfast in his belief that protecting the integrity of both India and Sri Lanka was paramount.
Speaking at the Khushwant Singh Literary Festival, Aiyar voiced his support for the 1987 accord and the deployment of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF). He explained that this decision was intended to prevent Sri Lanka’s fragmentation and to mitigate any potential impact on separatist sentiments within Tamil Nadu.
“Rajiv knew that disintegration in Sri Lanka might cause disintegration in India,” Aiyar remarked during the festival.
However, Aiyar noted that the operation was poorly executed, citing significant flaws in its planning and implementation. He directly stated, “The Indian Army let him down, Indian intelligence let him down. But he persisted with what he thought was necessary and paid a heavy political price.”
Rajiv Gandhi Prioritized National Interest, Says Aiyar
Aiyar also drew parallels between Rajiv Gandhi’s leadership and the current government’s approach, responding to a question about Gandhi’s “healing touch” in managing issues in Punjab, Kashmir, and Assam.
Reflecting on accords related to Punjab, Assam, Mizoram, Darjeeling, and Kashmir, Aiyar highlighted that Gandhi consistently placed the nation’s interests above those of his party.
“What was common to all of them,” Aiyar explained, “was that Rajiv Gandhi sacrificed the immediate party interest of the Congress for the sake of the country as a whole.”
He concluded by contrasting this with the present situation, stating, “Today, it is our frontiers that are burning. We have problems in the Thar Desert which are still not out. In Punjab, the BJP has destroyed itself. In Jammu and Kashmir, the pot is simmering. In Ladakh, the pot is no longer simmering; it’s blowing up,” Aiyar observed.