Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, sharing the most painful experiences of her life, has said that after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984, she constantly feared that her husband Rajiv Gandhi would be the next target. Sonia said that while living with the family, the fear remained in her mind that Rajiv too could be killed one day. Her fear came true in 1991, when Rajiv Gandhi was killed in a suicide attack.
Sonia Gandhi has made the disclosure in her forthcoming autobiography, “Belonging: A Journey of Love.” The book is scheduled to be published on November 10. Some extracts have been published in the British newspaper The Guardian. In them, Sonia has described in detail the events after Indira Gandhi’s assassination on October 31, 1984.
She said that after Indira Gandhi’s assassination, when Rajiv was asked to become prime minister, she pleaded with him not to accept the responsibility. Sonia said, in tears, that he should not do so because his life too could be in danger. Rajiv replied that he would be killed anyway.
According to Sonia, family life was then confined within a security cordon. Security for Rahul and Priyanka was increased, and their normal routine was also affected. Sonia would become anxious whenever Rajiv returned late from any programme.
On May 21, 1991, Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in an LTTE suicide attack during election campaigning in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. Sonia has described the incident as one of the greatest tragedies of her life.
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