18 th July is the death anniversary of the first and original superstar of the Indian Industry Rajesh Khanna aka Kaka for whom the term/ word Stardom was coined by the film journalists during seventies and eighties, never to fill the vaccum left by him after his sad demise on 18 July 2012 leaving behind millions of his die hard fans in utter shock and despair.
I was viewing a new serial being telecast on Sony LIV these days titled ” The Hunt”, exhibiting how the cruel hands of destiny through the Tamil Elam cadres brutally killed the former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in Sriperumbudur, Madras.
This was indeed an unbelievable tragedy of our times that occurred on 21 May, 1991.
As I read the date of Rajivji assassination and saw the deadly scene of his brutal murder of the then former PM Rajiv Gandhi, my mind immediately went back into flashback at New Delhi’s Shastri Bhawan polling station dated 19 th May, 1991 where two days prior to Rajivji’s fateful day of his traffic c demise in a deadly bomb explosion he alongwith Sonia Gandhi had arrived at 8.30 AM to cast their votes obviously in favour of the then Congress candidate Rajesh Khanna at Shastri Bhawan Polling booth, near Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, just a stone’s throw away from 10 Janpath.
I fondly remember that day, 21 st May, 1991 as I got up early, then living in Nanakpura , South Moti Bagh, and went to Som Vihar, Near Sangam Cinema, now PVR, Sector 8 R.K.Puram where Rajesh Khanna aka Kaka was waiting for me. We, in a white ambassador reached the Shastri Bhawan polling booth before time with his police Gypsy following us and inspected the polling booth and all the arrangements.
When we went inside the staircase , a good number of photographers clicked Pictures of the superstar turned politician and interacted with him, having already taken position as guided by the security.
We came out after a few minutes where former Special Assistent to late PM Indira Gandhi and Rajesh Khanna’s chief election agent R.K.Dhawan arrived to receive Rajivji and Soniaji.
The trio, me , Kakaji and R.K.Dhawan anxiously and curiously waited for Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi who arrived at around nine in the morning, probably.
As soon as they arrived the Sewa Dal women volunteers and few workers took Arti of both husband and wife, Soniaji and Rajivji applied tilak on their foreheads.
But as the arti was being done , the Aarti Thali fell down. Sonia Gandhi was a bit nervous and disturbed with Rajivji saying ” Koi Bat nahi, smilingly.
Usually, this is considered as a bad omen and the next day it appeared in few papers too.
Anyways, Rajivji and Soniaji moved ahead and cast their vote with Rajesh Khanna helping Sonia to cast the vote for picture clicks as requested by media photographers.
This was the classic picture that was in the front pages of all newspapers the other day and later on was decorated on the walls of Ashirvad , Kaka’s bungalow in Mumbai with a decent golden frame.
While leaving Rajiv Gandhi said to Kaka to be in touch after he returned back from his Southern Siriprumbudur tour.
We then last saw former PM Rajiv Gandhi at this polling booth with Rajesh Khanna.
In fact Rajesh Khanna aka Kaka was resting at his Som Vihar residence on 20 th May after the polling and a months hectic campaigning discussing with party leaders about his winning prospects against BJP stalwart L.K.Advani etc.
I had already extended an invitation to him to attend my younger brother’s marriage at Sector 2, R.K.Puram scheduled for May 21, the day Rajivji was to address a massive gathering at Siriperumbudur, the invitation extended to Rajiv Gandhi by the then MP and senior Congress leader Jayanti Natarajan.
In fact I hadn’t informed anyone about Rajesh Khanna’s would be visit at my brother’s marriage in Sector 2, R.K.Puram as I thought that maybe his last minute programme may change and my position will be in quandary. Therefore it’s better not to inform anyone thinking that if he comes it will be a huge surprise for everyone.
However, someone leaked the information and the police went in advance inspecting the venue saying that some VIP is coming there.
On 21 st May, the arrangements were in full swing in the marriage venue if my brother at Sector 2, R.K.Puram and the guests were thronging in at the marriage Pandal with nodody knowing of Rajesh Khanna’s visit. Things were going in a normal mode.
I was enjoying the occasion.
Meanwhile, Kaka was waiting for me at his Som Vihar house. I went there to fetch him. He was ready by the time I reached there just giving a few shots to the PTI Photo Journalist who had reached his house at 7 PM.
Kaka and I reached the Sector 2 Venue , R.K.Puram in just five minutes with a white gypsy of his bodyguards of Delhi police following our white ambassador with Rajesh Khanna and me in it.
As soon as Kaka stepped out of the car and people in the marriage saw him, all hell broke out. It was 9.10- 15 PM.
People busy with their dinner left their plates and rushed towards the outer tent to receive Rajesh Khanna in curiosity shouting Rajesh Khanna had arrived.
There was a tremendous rush , with people pushing one another to have Kaka’s glimpse and shake hands with him including coming in the photographer’s frame.
It was a stampede-like situation.
Rajesh Khanna asked me to take him to the bride and bridegroom first so that he can congratulate them. He wished them good luck , and the photos were clicked in a hurry as the rush was tremendous.
People from the colony not invited in the marriage had also come inside the pandal and the passers by too.
While the merrymaking was going on, a security guard of Delhi police with a wireless in his hand rushed towards Kaka and gave the tragic news of Rajivji’s assassination.
Kaka was heartbroken hearing this heart wrenching tragic news saying my God father is gone. He rushed back . Nobody knew what happened and why the superstar rushed back in his car looking absolutely tensed ?
There was pin drop silence when the news spread ?
People rushed back to their plates they had left behind. Rajesh Khanna went to 10 Janpath and was awestruck who had lost his Godfather forever who brought him in active politics and gave him the first break as the MP from New Delhi and had also assured to elevate him as minister.
Kaka had lost the first election by 1500 votes against Lal Krishna Advani , the BJP stalwart, but won against his counterpart , the BJP candidate and actor Shatrughan Sinha by nearly 29 thousand votes.
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