Rajiv Gandhi Era (1984–89)
Punjab Accord, computerisation, Shah Bano, India-Sri Lanka Accord, Bofors scandal and the constitutional amendments that transformed local governance.
The Young Prime Minister
After Indira Gandhi's assassination on 31 October 1984, Rajiv Gandhi (born 20 August 1944) was sworn in as Prime Minister the same evening, at age 40 — the youngest Indian PM. Congress won a record 414 of 514 Lok Sabha seats in the December 1984 elections, riding a sympathy wave after Indira's assassination and the anti-Sikh riots (2,700–8,000 killed in Delhi alone).
Rajiv Gandhi combined a modernising, technology-friendly outlook with several controversial decisions. He is remembered for computerising India's infrastructure and also for the Bofors scandal that ended his government.
Youngest PM (40 years, 1984). Record 414 seats (Dec 1984). Assassinated 21 May 1991 at Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, by LTTE suicide bomber Thenmozhi Rajaratnam (Dhanu). Bharat Ratna posthumously 1991.
Rajiv-Longowal Accord (1985)
The Rajiv-Longowal Accord (Punjab Accord) was signed on 24 July 1985 between PM Rajiv Gandhi and Shiromani Akali Dal president Harchand Singh Longowal. Key provisions: Chandigarh to be transferred to Punjab by 26 January 1986; Sarkaria Commission to decide Punjab-Haryana river waters dispute; M.M. Punchhi Commission to adjudicate Chandigarh-Haryana boundary.
Longowal was assassinated on 20 August 1985. The accord largely failed to implement its promises — Chandigarh was never transferred, the waters dispute remains unresolved.
Computerisation and the IT Foundation
Rajiv Gandhi's most lasting contribution may be laying the foundations of India's IT sector. Key decisions:
- Computer Policy 1984: Drastically reduced computer import duties; dismantled IBM's monopoly (IBM had left India in 1978 rather than comply with FERA).
- MTNL and DoT reforms: Began liberalising telecom.
- Computerisation of railways: Indian Railway Computerisation Centre (CRIS) — computerised reservation system (still in use).
- Software Technology Parks: Concept that led eventually to STPI (1991) under Narasimha Rao.
- Satellite technology: INSAT-1B launched 1983 (under Indira); INSAT-1C 1988.
Shah Bano Case and Muslim Women Act (1986)
In Mohd. Ahmad Khan vs. Shah Bano Begum (1985), a five-judge Supreme Court bench (CJ Y.V. Chandrachud) upheld Shah Bano's right to maintenance under Section 125 of CrPC from her divorced husband. The court also called for a Uniform Civil Code.
Muslim organisations protested. Rajiv Gandhi, with a massive Parliamentary majority, passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986, which effectively denied Muslim divorced women the right to maintenance under Section 125 CrPC, restricting them to their mehr and iddat period maintenance. This was widely seen as capitulating to conservative Muslim opinion.
The Muslim Women Act 1986 did NOT expand Muslim women's rights — it restricted them by excluding Muslim divorced women from the secular Section 125 CrPC protection. This is a commonly tested fact. Later (2001), the Supreme Court in Danial Latifi case partially restored maintenance rights by reading the Act expansively.
Q: The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986 was passed in response to which Supreme Court judgement? (a) Sarla Mudgal case (b) Shah Bano case (c) Lily Thomas case (d) Danial Latifi case
Answer: (b) — The Muslim Women Act 1986 was Rajiv Gandhi's legislative response to the Supreme Court's 1985 Shah Bano judgement that upheld Muslim women's right to maintenance under Section 125 CrPC.
India-Sri Lanka Accord (1987) and IPKF
The India-Sri Lanka Accord was signed on 29 July 1987 between Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lankan President J.R. Jayewardene. India agreed to send peacekeeping forces (Indian Peace Keeping Force / IPKF) to enforce a ceasefire and disarmament of Tamil militant groups (primarily LTTE). The accord granted Sri Lankan Tamils regional autonomy through 13th Amendment to Sri Lanka's Constitution.
The IPKF (1987–1990) got drawn into fighting the LTTE, suffering approximately 1,200 casualties. It was withdrawn under V.P. Singh's government (March 1990). The LTTE assassinated Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 as revenge for the IPKF operation.
The IPKF fought against the LTTE — the very Tamil group India had earlier supported covertly against the Sri Lankan state. The accord's irony: India ended up fighting Tamil rebels it had once helped arm. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in 1991 by an LTTE suicide bomber — directly connected to the IPKF's anti-LTTE campaign.
73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments (1992)
Though passed under P.V. Narasimha Rao's government in 1992, these amendments were initiated under Rajiv Gandhi (he introduced a Panchayati Raj Bill in 1989 that lapsed). The amendments constitutionalised local government:
| Amendment | Covers | Part Added | Schedule | Key Provision |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 73rd (1992) | Rural (Panchayati Raj) | Part IX | 11th Schedule (29 subjects) | Elections mandatory; 1/3 seats reserved for women; SC/ST reservation; Gram Sabha |
| 74th (1992) | Urban (Municipalities) | Part IX-A | 12th Schedule (18 subjects) | Ward Committees; elections mandatory; 1/3 women reservation; State Election Commission |
The 73rd Amendment mandates not less than 1/3 seats (and chairpersons' posts) reserved for women in Panchayati Raj institutions. This reservation applies to SC/ST categories proportionally too. Note: This is a constitutional reservation in local bodies — different from the Women's Reservation Bill (Constitution 106th Amendment 2023) for Parliament and state legislatures.
Bofors Scandal and End of Rajiv Era
The Bofors scandal (1987) alleged that Swedish arms company AB Bofors paid bribes (kickbacks) to Indian officials and politicians, including individuals close to Rajiv Gandhi, in connection with the ₹1,437 crore deal for 155mm howitzers. Swedish Radio first broke the story; journalist Arun Shourie and the Indian Express investigated. The controversy became "Bofors" = corruption, defining the 1989 election.
In the 1989 elections, the National Front (V.P. Singh's Janata Dal coalition) defeated Congress. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on 21 May 1991 at Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, during the 1991 election campaign.