RSS had supported several of Emergency measures: Ex-IB chief T V Rajeswar

New Delhi Former Intelligence Bureau IB chief T V Rajeswar has claimed that the RSS had supported several measures taken during the Emergency and the then chief of the organisation Balasaheb Deoras had tried to contact then Prime Minister Indira GandhiNot only they RSS were supportive of this they wanted to establish contact apart from Mrs Gandhi with Sanjay Gandhi also Rajeswar said in an interview with Karan Thapar for programme To the Point according to a statement issued by the interviewerRajeswar who served as Governor of Uttar Pradesh and Sikkim after his retirement from service was responding when asked about certain passages in his book which talk about RSS supporting the EmergencyHe said it was correct and then emphasised that he was absolutely sure of it the statement saidHe replied in affirmative when told that though Deoras was keen to meet Gandhi she did not do so as she did not want to be seen close the organisationWhen asked about his claim that Deoras had also wanted to meet Sanjay Gandhi Rajeswar said apparently he wanted to express support to the measures taken the statement saidHe was also asked about claims in his book that RSS had also extended support to the Indira Gandhiled Congress in the elections He said attempts to contact Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay were obviously meant for thisIn the interview Rajeswar also suggested that the idea of Emergency was suggested by Sidharth Shankar RayRajeswar said Gandhi was aware of what was happening during the Emergency but how serious the impact was on the people and the consequences she may not have realisedRajeswar also said that Sanjay Gandhi wielded enormous powers during the Emergency Speaking further about Sanjays role he said apparently Mrs Gandhi did not realise the serious constitutional implicationsRajeswar was asked about a passage in his book The Crucial Years that said that six months after the imposition of Emergency the IB had proposed its withdrawal To this he said Indira Gandhi was initially inclined in favour of the proposal but Sanjay Gandhi was against itRajeswar also described Sanjay Gandhi as the man behind the sceneHe said he felt Indira Gandhi had assessed that things were going badly for her party in elections after the EmergencyHe also said that then Home Secretary S L Khurana had tried to order a recount in Rae Bareli during the 1977 elections but the returning officer had disappearedOn issues related to Punjab Rajeswar said Indira Gandhi at times suspected that her Punjab Chief Minister Darbara Singh or Home Minister Giani Zail Singh were protective of proKhalistan militant leader Jarnail Singh BhindranwaleAt the same time he said she may not have been able to come to a definitive coalition He also mentioned a proposal by an Akali leader about a coalition with Congress to solve the situation in PunjabRajeswar also said that Bhindranwale was trying to establish a direct link with Prime Minister and Sanjay Gandhi but they did not do itThe former IB chief also said that he had advised Gandhi about the consequences of Operation Blue Star Asked why the advice was not followed he said may be they did not realise how serious the situation would becomeWhen the army authorities were given this operation I dont think she Gandhi realised that they would be using tanks and helicopters he saidHe said the Army Chief and Lt Gen Brar did not think of taking the Prime Ministers approval before using tanks Thapar asked Rajeswar about comments in his book which suggested that Indira Gandhi used Intelligence agencies to get information about her party colleagues to which Rajeswar said he did not remember but added if it is there it is thereRajeswar was asked about an incident mentioned in his book about a missing chapter in a book by M O Mathai considered close to NehruGandhi family which contained certain embarrassing claims about Indira GandhiHe said M G Ramachandran former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister had had given it to him and he without reading had passed it on to Indira Gandhi The soclaimed chapter was not published in Mathais book