NEW DELHI: Rajiv Gandhi had faced more threats to his life from Sikh militants than other outfits like JKLF, ULFA and LTTE, the Jain commission of inquiry was told on Thursday. Deposing before the one man panel probing the conspiracy aspect into the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, former premier V.P. Singh said though reports about threats to Rajiv Gandhi’s life from Sikh, ULFA and other militant groups came to his notice, he (Singh) did not remember that any international groups except those connected with Sikhs were involved, Replying to questions from AICC counsel R.N. Mittal, the former premier said reports had suggested that JKFL, Sikhs, ULFA and other Militant groups were hostile to the e premier. Mr. Singh said the 7Special Protection Group (SPG) was conceived after the October2, 1986 incident in which an attempt was made on the life of Rajiv Gandhi at Rajghat, Mr, Singh said the change in the security arrangements of Rajiv Gandhi was adequate to meet any threat that was perceived at that time. Stating that Mrs. Indira Gandhi had faced threats from Sikhs after the “Operation Blue Star”, he said that he had no knowledge of any threat to Rajiv Gandhi after he (Rajiv) had joined politics. Asked whether he had protested to the government’s decision on the “Operation Blue Star’, the former premier said there was no public protest from his side to the decision. Asked whether Rajiy Gandhi had inherited any threats after the “Operation Blue Star,” Mr. Singh said the office of the Prime Minister itself “invites” threat. The former premier said the November 1984 riots that followed the assassination of Mrs. Indira Gandhi increased the threat perceptions of Rajiv Gandhi’s life. Asked about the need to include immediate family members of the Prime Minister under the purview of the SPG Act, Mr. Singh said through family members pressure could be exerted on the Prime Minister and the office of the Prime Minister which could affect the interests of the country. It was perceived that immediate family members would be targets of militants, he said. Queried whether he “helped” Rajiv Gandhi in becoming the Prime Minister, Mr. Singh said that some people had helped Rajiv Gandhi to become Prime Minister and that was the general wish of the congressmen then. He worked hard in making his office a success, Mr. Singh said.

Article extracted from this publication >>  October 30, 1996