...with Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi.

Shri Rajiv Gandhi speaking at the Federation Session

...A Friend In Deed

Chapter

B ROUGHT into Politics by his mother Smt. Indira

Gandhi after the tragic aeroplane accident of late Sanjay, his younger Parliamentarian brother, Rajiv Gandhi in right earnest started enlarging the circle of his political friends. He was quite eager to bring into his fold the like-minded youth, energetic people he could depend upon. The result was Amitabh Bachchan, his childhood family friend from Allahabad, Kamal Chaudhary, his pilot colleague from the Indian Airlines, Kiran Choudhary, a Congress youth leader from Haryana, Smt. Meira Kumar, Late Jagjiwan Ram's daughter from the Indian Foreign Service, Harbhajan Singh from the Print Media, Kumari Shailja late veteran leader Dalbir Singhs daughter and many more came quite closer to him. And thus developed a sort of long intimate political association.
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Margaret Alva, Harbhajan Singh, Arjun Singh and Justice R.S. Sarkaria

Highly impressed by the Personality and programmes of his friend Shri Rajiv Gandhi, Shri Harbhajan Singh kept the momentum going by holding National Unity Conferences, Seminars and Symposia in different cities of the country.

Indian Observer, like the National Herald, a daily newspaper founded by none other than Pt. Nehru, was as good as a Congress mouth piece.
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Appointed as General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee, Rajiv Gandhi in briefings to the Press could depend upon responsible editors like Mr. Harbhajan Singh who could present the Press releases of the Party in true perspective unlike the hostile jute Press which used to print as it suited them after a twist to their liking. Hence in Indian Observer, like the National Herald, a daily newspaper founded by none other than Jawaharlal Nehru, was as good as a Congress mouth piece. Rajiv was quick to grasp the fact that the country had to move up and show it to the world what youth power of

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the country was capable of achieving with proper opportunities and given due exposure. After Indiraji's unfortunate assassination by her own Securitymen the mantle of Prime Ministership fell on Rajiv Gandhi he being the most appropriate choice of the Congress Party, as the country was plunged into the mourning that shook the whole world. Brought up into the Congress under the influence of his maternal grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru and Smt. Indira Gandhi, Rajiv imbibed the spirit of nationalism,

At Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhis 7, Race Course Road residence 66

peace, co-operation, amity, friendly relations with all the countries especially the neighbouring ones. Likewise, Harbhajan Singh too had a grooming under the influence of his father, a veteran freedom fighter, Sardar Durlab Singh, a staunch Congressman with a towering personality always in white khadi crisp Kurta Pyjama and a white Pugree Turban to support as headgear.

Likewise, Harbhajan Singh too had a grooming under the influence of his father, a veteran freedom fighter.

Respectful Homage to the Departed Friend Shri Rajiv Gandhi 67

TWO MINUTES SILENCE - Jag Parvesh Chandra, C.E.C. Delhi, Harbhajan Singh and Lt. Governor Romesh Bhandari

Both of them, Rajiv and Harbhajan had many a similarity in their way of thinking, love for the country, full of patriotic fervour, their innocent frankness, honesty of purpose. In their speeches they exhorted the youth to come forward to work for the nation's development. Annual Session of AISMNF was often celebrated at 7, Race Course Road P .M.'s official residence. Annual Session of AISMNF was often celebrated at 7, Race Course Road P .M.s official residence and the members of Small Medium Press used to say slogans. In his capacity as the Prime Minister of the country and in his efforts to further develop and strengthen the friendly and warm relations with the neighbouring countries Rajiv initiated talks with China and Russia and achieved a lot in improving and cementing ties to further mutual advantage. He was adequately accompanied by the Media persons both electronic and print. Harbhajan Singh covered his foreign visits and gave a full coverage in his Indian Observer.

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Rajiv carried forward the task left by his mother Smt. Indira Gandhi in modernising the country. Not only that he brought in the computer network and the latest technology from all over the World. He was straight forward in telling his countrymen with a heavy heart not to shed blood instead shed hatred, after being sworn in as Prime Minister on 31st October 1984, in his first broadcast to the Nation on 2nd November 1984 as some people started casting a slur on the sacred memory of Mrs. Indira Gandhi by indulging in acts of hatred and violence. In the same vein Harbhajan Singh also said terrorists don't belong to a particular cast or community, they have no religion, they can come from any where and they should be condemned by all right thinking people. Both had the same wave length and that was the basis of their life long friendship. Rajiv and Harbhajan had many a similarity in their way of thinking, love for the country, full of patriotic fervour.

Shri Harbhajan Singh highlighting Late Leaders Tremendous Contribution in making India Strong. 69

Honble Shivraj Patil speaking at the Symposia organised by Shri Harbhajan Singh in memory of Late Shri Rajiv Gandhi

And this friendship continued even after Rajiv Gandhis life was cut short by a human bomb.

And this friendship continued even after Rajiv Gandhis life was cut short by a human bomb on May 21, 1991 while he was to address an Election Rally in Sriperumbdur in Tamilnadu. Harbhajan Singh, year after year, continued commemorating the life and works of Shri Rajiv Gandhi on his Birth Anniversary for the cause dear to the late leader that of national integration, brotherhood, solidarity of the nation, secularism while holding National Smyposia, Conference, Seminar. While at Cambridge, he had met Sonia, an Italian who was studying English. Rajiv Gandhi had not shown much interest in politics till then. He attended college at Cambridge, England, worked as a pilot for the Indian Airlines. They were married in New Delhi in 1968. They stayed in Smt. Indira Gandhi's residence in New Delhi with their two children, Rahul and Priyanka. Theirs was a very private life despite the surrounding din and bustle of political activity.

Harbhajan Singh, year after year, continued commemorating the life and works of Shri Rajiv Gandhi.

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But his brother Sanjay's death in an air crash in 1980 changed that. Pressures on Shri Gandhi to enter politics and help his mother, then besieged by many internal and external challenges, grew. He resisted these pressures at first, but later bowed to their logic. He won the by-election to the Parliament, caused by his brother's death, from Amethi in U.P in 1981. At that time, Indira Gandhi was . re-elected as the Prime Minster and Rajiv Gandhi became her unofficial political advisor took over as the General Secretary of the Party. In November 1982, when India hosted the Asian Games, the commitment made years earlier to build the stadia and other infrastructure was fulfilled. Shri Gandhi

But his brother Sanjays death in an air crash in 1980 changed that.

Speaking at the Symposia on Rajivs Role in Promoting National Integration. 71

was entrusted with the task of getting all the work completed on time and ensuring that the games themselves were conducted without any hitches or flaws. In fulfilling this challenging task, he first displayed his flair for quiet efficiency and smooth coordination. At the same time, as General Secretary of the Congress, he started streamlining and energizing the party organization with equal diligence. All these qualities came to the fore later in far more testing and trying times. Highly impressed by his multifarious qualities and programmes Shri Harbjhajan Singh used his fortnightly magazine the Indian Observer and printed article after article to Congress Party's advantage. In October 1984 Smt. Indira Gandhis Securitymen assassinated her and Shri Rajiv Gandhi was sworn in as Prime Minister. During the month long election campaign, Shri Gandhi traveled tirelessly from one part of the country to the other, covering a distance equal to one and a half times the earth's circumference, speaking at 250 meetings in as many places and meeting millions face to face. A Modern-minded, decisive but undemonstrative man, Shri Gandhi was at home in the world of high technology. And, as he repeatedly said, one of his main objectives, besides preserving India's unity, was to propel it into the twenty-first century. Highly impressed by his multifarious qualities and programmes Shri Harbjhajan Singh used his fortnightly magazine the Indian Observer and printed article after article to Congress Party's advantage. Rajiv remained the Prime Minister of India from 1984-1989. The nation placed a great responsibility on
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Speaking on Contribution by Rajiv for India.

Rajiv Gandhi by asking him to head the government and that goes to his credit that he tried his utmost in fulfilling the same. And this according to the late Harbhajan Singh was the Golden Period in Country's history - Surely friends in deed as in life as after death. Mr Singh breathed his last on 5th April 06 having played his innings he left for the next world where all good people go. For God also needs good people.

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