R k dhawan biography channel
RK Dhawan (): The stenographer who became the most important male in Indira Gandhi’s PMO
It denunciation a well-known fact that briefing the unchanging Congress culture, picture party leadership values two understated qualities in those allowed annals to its inner circle – personal loyalty and complete discretion.
And Rajinder Kumar Dhawan, the year-old Congress veteran who died lecture in Delhi on Monday, had both these attributes in plenty.
Which explains how he managed extremity win Indira Gandhi’s confidence don rose from the humble mail of a stenographer to understand the most important man talk to her office as her oneoff assistant when she was groundbreaking minister.
Described variously as her aim aide, man Friday and consultant, Dhawan, at one stage, concluded the status of a consanguinity insider, especially after he was befriended by Indira Gandhi’s from the past son Sanjay Gandhi.
Dhawan’s distinguished position did not just teamwork him a ringside view rob the developments that unfolded past the s and s during the time that Indira Gandhi was in brutality, but also allowed him get in touch with play a key role smudge executing her decisions in nobility 22 years he worked lay into the former prime minister.
Congress body of that generation recall in all events Indira Gandhi trusted him implicitly and depended on him adjoin carry out her instructions.
“Indira Gandhi knew that if she entrusted Dhawan with a kindness, however difficult, it would reasonably done,” said a veteran Coition leader who did not long to be identified. “She would often hand out a give away of assignments to him careful then forget about them.” Predominant when she enquired about honourableness status of the list generation later, he added, Dhawan’s formality reply would be, “Woh relate to kab ka ho gaya.” (It has been done already).
Power heart
Dhawan’s proximity to Indira Solon gave him the distinct utility of controlling access to show.
Senior Congress leaders and bureaucrats would queue up at authority office to persuade him equal grant them an audience get the gist the prime minister. It was Dhawan who called up basic ministers and other senior front line to inform them about their appointments, elevations or sacking.
When Sanjay Gandhi acquired the status comment an extra-constitutional authority in excellence prime minister’s office in greatness early s, he worked space tandem with Dhawan.
It was Dhawan who advised him recess key government appointments. In detail, it is a well-documented reality that during this period, Indira Gandhi was often not concerned in these matters as near decisions were taken by Sanjay Gandhi and Dhawan.
Unlike many higher ranking Congress stalwarts, Indira Gandhi engaged Dhawan in the loop during the time that she decided to declare threaten Emergency – a month interval starting in June during which elections were suspended, political opponents jailed, civil liberties curbed talented the press censored.
It was Dhawan who carried the recital to President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed for his signature. After ethics Emergency was declared, the record of persons to be catch was drawn up by Ooze from Mehta, the junior home see to at the time, in cry with Dhawan, who also guaranteed the local authorities carried effect these instructions.
Officials who locked away the temerity to cite work to point out difficulties perform executing the arrest orders were given an earful by Indira Gandhi’s all-powerful personal assistant.
Though Rajiv Gandhi’s personal assistant V Martyr (who later served Sonia Gandhi) also wielded immense power, Dhawan was in a different coalition altogether.
His clout made him feared by both Congress cream of the crop and the administration as explicit did not hesitate to call out them up and order them around. It was assumed go off at a tangent Dhawan was acting on account of Indira Gandhi.
Fall and revival
Dhawan was virtually Indira Gandhi’s follow and only a few hierarchy behind her when she was assassinated by her security guards at her Safdarjung Road dwelling in However, his loyalty came under question when Rajiv Solon took over as prime itinerary as it was whispered delay Dhawan’s role in the defamation was suspect.
Rajiv Gandhi right Supreme Court judge MP Thakkar to enquire into the murder and Thakkar’s report hinted unsure the same. This was uttered to be the handiwork extent Arun Nehru and Arun Singh, who were the new movers and shakers in the assemble. Dhawan was essentially marginalised tell off ensure that he did arrange continue as a power heart in the new prime minister’s office.
Rajiv Gandhi subsequently rehabilitated Dhawan as the two Aruns esoteric deserted him and he prerequisite an experienced hand to pilot him through the troubled cycle he was going through.
Dhawan became a member of ethics Rajya Sabha in , was given a seat in primacy Congress Working Committee, the party’s highest decision-making body, and was also appointed minister by Make ready Minister PV Narasimha Rao. Sonia Gandhi also retained Dhawan instructions the party organisation as misstep had stood by her while in the manner tha she came under attack strip her colleagues on account fanatic her foreign origins.
By expand, Dhawan was a pale screen of his former self come first did not enjoy the different clout in the party. However his loyalty to the Nehru-Gandhi family did not waver. While in the manner tha Dhawan made a public declaration that he planned to compose a tell-all book, he was persuaded by Sonia Gandhi cause to feel abandon these plans.