President Pranab Mukherjee at the launch of his book.
As the second edition of his memoirs was released on Thursday, President Pranab Mukherjee said 'some secrets will be buried with me'. Some revelations in his book, on politics in India during the turbulent 1980s and 1990s, have caused a flutter.
Here are excerpts from the book
On Operation Bluestar when the army stormed Golden Temple: "I still vividly recall Mrs Gandhi telling me, 'Pranab, I know of the consequences.' She understood the situation well and was clear that there was no other option."
On Operation Bluestar: "It is easy to say that the military action could have been avoided. However, nobody really knows if any other option would have worked."
On Indira Gandhi's assassination: "It is through the news that we got to know that sixteen bullets had been pumped into Mrs Gandhi. 'How potent are the bullets used by VIP security personnel?' he (Rajiv Gandhi) turned to ask his PSO. The PSO informed him that they were very powerful. Rajiv then turned to us and, with great emotion, asked, 'Did she deserve all these bullets?' We simply sat there, stunned.
After Indira Gandhi's assassination: '...it was decided that we should request Rajiv Gandhi to take over as the full-fledged Prime Minister to meet the challenge posed by this extraordinary situation. Somebody suggested that I formally make this request to Rajiv and work out the modalities to be followed. I took Rajiv to the rear of the aircraft and requested him to take over as Prime Minister. His immediate question to me was, 'Do you think I can manage?' 'Yes,' I told him, 'we are all there to help you. You will have everyone's support."
"Many stories have been circulated that I aspired to be the interim Prime Minister, that I had staked claim and had to be persuaded otherwise. And that this created misgivings in Rajiv Gandhi's mind. These stories are completely false and spiteful."
On being dropped by Rajiv Gandhi: "It was not even peripherally on my mind. I had heard no rumours, nor had anyone in the party ever vaguely hinted at it. As it happened, PV Narsimha Rao, too, was on tenterhooks, calling me several times to check if I had received a call."
"When I learnt of my ouster from the Cabinet, I was shell-shocked and flabbergasted. I could not believe it. But I composed myself, and sat alongside my wife as she watched the swearing-in ceremony on television."
"To the question of why he dropped me from the Cabinet and expelled me from the party, all I can say is that he made mistakes and so did I. He let others influence him and listened to their calumnies against me. I let my frustration overtake my patience."
"There has been some discussion regarding differences between RBI Governor Dr Manmohan Singh, and me...I never saw my differences with Dr Singh...as anything other than legitimate exchanges of opinion over professional matters...I had absolutely no role in Dr Manmohan Singh's departure from the RBI."
The opening of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple site on 1 February 1986 was perhaps another error of judgement. People felt these actions could have been avoided.
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