देवानंद की नजर में इंदिरा गांधी

देवानंद की नजर में इंदिरा गांधी
इंदिरा गांधी का गूंगी गुडिय़ा से आयरन लेडी बनकर उभरना भारतीय राजनीति का एक अहम अध्याय रहा है। आज से 24 साल पहले उनके ही अंगरक्षकों ने उन्हें गोली मारकर मौत के आगोश में सुला दिया था। सदाबहार अभिनेता देवानंद ने अपनी आत्मकथा 'रोमांसिंग विद लाइफ' में उन्हें बखूबी याद किया है।
इंदिरा गांधी की मृत्यु की बात को अपनी आत्मकथा 'रोमांसिंग विद लाइफ' के 57वें अध्याय में समेटते हुए देवानंद लिखते हैं कि फिल्म की शूटिंग समाप्त ही किया था कि समाचार मिला, इंदिरा गांधी को सिख अंगरक्षकों ने गोली मार दी है। पूरा देश स्तब्ध था। मैं मन ही मन बुदबुदाया, 'इंदिरा गांधी एक धार्मिक समुदाय की भावनाओं के गुस्से का शिकार हुई है। मेरे सामने उनकी सारी छवि उमडऩे-घुमडऩे लगीं।
पहली बार देवानंद की इंदिरा से मुलाकात उनके पिता जवाहर लाल नेहरू के आवास तीनमूर्ति में हुई थी। फिल्म इंडस्ट्री ने उस वक्त नई दिल्ली में एक चैरिटी शो का आयोजन किया था। इससे आने वाले फंड को प्रधानमंत्री राहत कोष में जमा किया जाना था और प्रधानमंत्री जवाहर लाल नेहरू भी इस मौके पर मौजूद थे। यही वह मौका था जब लता मंगेशकर ने 'ऐ मेरे वतन के लोगों, जरा आंख में भर लो पानी' गाया था और नेहरूजी रो पडे थे। वे कहते हैं कि इस कार्यक्रम के बाद मुझे, दिलीप कुमार और राजकपूर को तीनमूर्ति भवन में प्रधानमंत्री से मुलाकात की बात थी। वहां पर आतिथ्य के लिए इंदिरा गांधी मौजूद थीं। यह उनके साथ मेरी पहली मुलाकात थी। वह अल्पभाषी और संकोची थीं। वह कम बोलती थीं लेकिन काफी सभ्य थीं। उसने स्पेशल चाय के द्वारा हमारा स्वागत किया।
देवानंद अपनी आत्मकथा के विभिन्न पृष्ठों पर इंदिरा गांधी को याद कर लिखते हैं, 'पंडितजी की मृत्यु पर मैंने इंदिरा गांधी को टेलीग्राम से संवेदना भेजी थी। फिल्म 'गाइड' के रिलीज के क्रम में फिर इंदिरा गांधी से मुलाकात करने का मौका मिला। कुछ विरोधियों ने सूचना और प्रसारण मंत्रालय को गुमनाम पत्र भेजकर इस फिल्म को क्लीयरेंस सर्टिफिकेट न देने का मुहिम चलाया। सरकारी दफ्तर नई दिल्ली में था और फिल्म पर अश्लीलता का आरोप था। मैंने इस मामले में इंदिरा गांधी से संपर्क किया कि वह इस फिल्म को देखकर फैसला करें। वह उस वक्त नई-नई सूचना और प्रसारण मंत्री बनी थीं। उन्होंने अपने लिए फिल्म की स्क्रीनिंग नई दिल्ली में कराने की बात कही। स्क्रीनिंग के मौके पर वह अपने खास मित्रों के साथ बैठी रहीं और उन्हें इससे कोई खास फर्क नहीं था कि उनके बीच मैं भी हूं।
मैं आगे की पंक्ति में बैठा था जबकि वह चुपचाप काफी पीछे बैठी थी। जैसे ही फिल्म खत्म हुई मैंने पीछे मुड़कर उनकी ओर देखा। उन्होंने बस इतना ही कहा, 'आप काफी तेज बोलते हैं।' इस पर मैंने कहा, 'हां, मैं बोलता हूं। इससे गुस्सा तो नहीं आया।' 'नहीं, यह बढिय़ा है। हमलोग मंत्रालय के द्वारा क्लीयरेंस लेटर भेज देंगे', इंदिरा का जबाव था। इस मौके पर मैंने मनोहर मालगोकर की प्रसिद्ध उपन्यास 'दी प्रिंस गिफ्ट' किया था।
देवानंद लिखते हैं, 'वह फिल्मी दुनिया की समस्याओं को सुनती थी लेकिन बोलती काफी कम थीं। जितनी बार मैं मिला हर बार मैं उन्हें वक्ता की अपेक्षा अधिक श्रोता पाया।' वे याद करते हुए कहते हैं कि एक बार सरोजनी नायडू के भाई हरेंद्रनाथ चट्टोपाध्याय के साथ उनसे मुलाकात हुई थी जब हमलोग पंडित नेहरू से मिलने प्रधानमंत्री आवास गए थे। लेकिन हमें अपनी बैठक इंदिरा गांधी से कर लौटना पड़ा था। वे उन दिनों को याद करते हुए कहते हैं कि नई दिल्ली में एक बार अंतरराष्ट्रीय फिल्म समारोह आयोजित किया गया था, जिसमें उन्हें आमंत्रित करने गया था। उन्होंने बस इतना ही कहा था कि मैं आने की कोशिश करूंगी। लेकिन वह नहीं आ सकीं थीं। एक बार उनके बहुत करीबी दोस्त के साथ आधे घंटे से अधिक समय तक मुलाकात की थी। बिना किसी सकारात्मक या नकारात्मक प्रतिक्रिया के वह हमारी बातें सुनती रही थीं।
बहरहाल, इंदिरा गांधी के व्यक्तिगत यादों सहित उनके कामकाज को लेकर देवानंद अपनी आत्मकथा में कई स्थानों पर विस्तार से चर्चा की है। उन्हें यह बात काफी आश्चर्य लगती है कि एक गूंगी गुडिय़ा किस तरह देश की सबसे ताकतवर नेता के तौर पर उभरी। हालांकि वह हमेशा अल्पभाषी और संकोची ही रहीं।

कुछ सवाल दिल्ली पुलिस से, कुछ सवाल पत्रकारों से

जामिया के पास पिछले महीने हुए पुलिस मुठभेड़ के बाद जिस तरह जामिया मिल्लिया इस्लामिया के छात्रों को आतंकवादी घोषित करने का खेल खेला गया वह काफी शर्मनाक है। इस क्रम में कल एक बैठक वहां के शिक्षकों ने की थी। इस मामले पर जिस तरह का घिनौना खेल खेला जा रहा है, इसकी जितनी निंदा की जाए कम है। चूकि मेरी पढ़ाई भी जामिया में ही हुई है, इस कारण वहां से आत्मीयता होना लाजमी है। इसी क्रम में पिछले पन्द्रह दिनों से मैं ब्लाग की दुनिया से दूर रहा। घर और बाहर के कामों से थोड़ी राहत मिली तो जामिया टीचर्स सोलिदातारी ग्रुप के सदस्य मनीषा सेठी के कुछ सवालों के साथ आपके सामने हूँ...

Some Questions for the Delhi Police and Embedded 'Journalists'
The last few days have seen the Delhi Police "returning fire" at the critics of the Jamia Nagar encounter. Pressured by the mounting skepticism about police claims, the Delhi Police have now responded with a new round of theories and stories, which nevertheless remain as riddled with holes, as their earlier version(s). Jamia Teachers' Solidarity Group responds to the latest Police claims.
1) The police was caught by surprise. Or was it?
In its response to the questions being raised by the civil society, the police say, "the presence of armed terrorists took them by surprise." "The police did not expect an encounter at L-
18." (Indian Express October 9)
However, Praveen Swami in his "Alice in wonderland" article in The Hindu (October 10) writes that "the investigators learned that top commander 'Bashir' and his assault armed squad left Ahmedabad on July 26 for a safe house at Jamia Nagar." Further he says, "the investigators came to believe that Atif Amin either provided Bashir shelter or the two were one and the same person."
Surely, there can be only one truth:
a) The police knew that a "top commander" and his "armed assault team "was residing in L-18 (as claimed confidently by Swami). In which case, the Special Cell's almost cavalierapproach is inexplicable — unless we accept Swami's contention that Inspector Sharma'steam did as well as it could "given their resources and training".
While Swami and his ilk may rue the lack of "state of the art surveillance equipment" that can be found in United States or Europe, surely, even Third World police can use, upon knowledge that "dreaded terrorists" are holed up in a house, methods such as sealing the building, and making public announcements asking them to surrender.
b) The Police went to L-18 merely for investigation and was ambushed. In which case, isn'tit surprising that it took them only a few hours to crack nearly all cases of bomb blasts thathave occurred across the country? It was of course inconvenient for UP, Gujarat, Rajasthanand Maharashtra state police, who had been claiming their own successes in uncovering their'masterminds'.
The Police commissioner Y.S. Dadwal announced at a news conference the same day that "Atif was the mastermind behind all the recent serial blasts," and that he had plotted the Saturday blasts... was also involved in the Ahmedabad blasts on July 26, Jaipur blasts on May 13, and one of the August 25 blasts last year in Hyderabad. Sajid was described as bomb-maker.
"Explosives made by him and his team bore their signature — two detonators, wooden frame, ammonium nitrate and analog quartz clocks," Dadwal said {Hindustan limes, 20 September). The question is that, the Police which did not even expect an 'encounter' in the
morning, was able to say with confidence that the bombs used in Delhi blasts bore the 'signature' of the slain Sajid by evening.
The Police must pick one of these 'truths'. It cannot claim both to be true simultaneously.
2) The puz2le of the Bullet Proof Jacket
Again, the Delhi Police has not made up its mind on this one. JCP, Karnail Singh and Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Alok Kumar have reiterated that the Special Cell team members were not wearing BPVs. ["Entering a crowded locality would alert the suspects and give them time to escape" {Indian Express Oct 9); "To maintain secrecy in a cramped area like Batla House." Tehelka Oct 4)].
However, now we are also told that some police men were wearing Bullet proof vests.
This new version has appeared following the outcry after the publication of pictures of Sajid's body, which clearly show that he had been shot repeatedly in the head. Such bullet injuries suggest that he could have been killed from extreme close range while he was crouching or kneeling. This it self raises a huge question mark over the 'encounter'. "Senior police sources" now claim that Sajid was "lying on the floor when he opened fire at a cop. The cop, unlike Inspector Sharma, was wearing a bulletproof vest. He retaliated by firing a burst from his AK-47, which hit Sajid on his head." (Times of India, Oct 8).
Neat. It explains why and how Sajid was killed. And also, why the cop in question was not as much as injured when Sajid was supposedly firing at him. But it doesn't square with the line the Delhi Police have been pushing up till now, that Inspector Sharma's men did not deliberately wear bullet proof vests. Nor with the claim that the Special team was "armed only with small arms". (The Hindu, October 10)
Nonetheless, the Delhi Police must clearly make up its mind if the cops that day were wearing Bullet proof vests or not?
3) Corroborative evidence?
Believe it or not, the evidence in support of their claim that the boys living in L-18 were terrorists, the police presents a bucket, adhesive tape and a bag! (Indian Express, Oct 9). The bucket was used to keep bombs (but was presumably empty at the time of'seizure'); the adhesive tape was used to seal the explosives (!!!); and finally the bag was used to carry the bombs (but again presumably empty when the police 'recovered' it).
Let it be noted that legal requirements were flouted with regard to seizures. The police is required to prepare a seizure list of all items recovered from the site and it should be attested by two public witnesses unconnected with the police. Given that a huge crowd had gathered at the site, surely, the police could have sought the assistance of members of the public. And why does L-18 continue to remain sealed?
4) Injuries and Bullets:
Photographs of the bodies of Atif and Sajid, taken during the ritual bathing before burial clearly indicate injury marks on the bodies. These marks could definitely not have been caused by bullets. The skin on Atif s back is ripped off. What caused these injury marks? Were they captured before they were eliminated? The Police is now citing the elusive post mortem report, saying that the two did not have any injuries on them apart from those caused by bullets, in order to buttress their claim of the "shootout being genuine". (TOI, Oct 9). The documentary proof of the existence of such marks on the bodies however belies their claims.
Rattled by the photographs of an injured Inspector Sharma being escorted from the L-18 building, where no blood stain is visible on the front, the Police have stated that he was hit from the front as "one bullet hit him in the left shoulder and exited through the left arm; the other hit the right side of the abdomen, exiting through the hip." (The Hindu, October 10) For this reason, they argue, the bleeding was from the back—the points of exit. However, according to a senior doctor who conducted the postmortem on Inspector MC Sharma at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, "It was difficult to establish the entry and exit points of the bullet because conclusive evidence had been wiped out by the interventions of the doctors at Holy Family [where Sharma was rushed to]." (Tehelka, October 4).
But at least one enthusiastic journalist doesn't stop here. He tells us that the "abdomen wound was inflicted with Amin's weapon and the shoulder hit, by Mohammad Sajid". And how does he know? "The investigators believe that." (The Hindu, October 10)And he believes the investigators. Has he seen a copy of the post mortem? Or the videography of the post mortem? What bullets were fired upon Inspector Sharma? What was the weapon that killed Sajid and Atif?
Why are the post mortem reports of Inspector Sharma and Atif and Sajid not being made public?
5 "Over confident terrorists":
In response to why these supposed 'terrorists' left a trail of identification marks which would have made them sitting ducks, the police have a simple answer. They were over confident.
(Indian Express, October 9)
These boys (aged 17 years — 24 years) were so confident that they had their tenant verifications done in which they provided their genuine addresses; Atif had his driving license made by providing his genuine details; carried out blasts and returned home coolly to watch their exploits on television; felt no need to flee or change residences frequently; bought sim cards in their own names; registered as students in schools and institutions; sat for examinations midway through planning and executing blasts. And yet, these masterminds had no inkling of the special cell surveillance, and indeed helpfully stored material such as photographs of blast sites on their laptops and cell phones, so that their guilt could be proved promptly by the police whenever they were caught.
Mr. Praveen Swami writes that that "the allegations leveled over the encounter tell us more about the critics than the event itself." Sure, we are skeptics, unwilling to lap up everything that comes forth from "police sources", senior or otherwise; but what does taking dictations from the Special Cell tell us about you, Mr. 'journalist'?

Our doubts remain. Our questions unanswered. Only a time bound, independent inquiry under the sitting judge of the Supreme Court can illumine the truth. What does the Delhi Police and the Government have to fear if the truth is on their side?
Manisha Sethi
Member, Jamia Teachers' Solidarity Group