New Delhi, Sep 21 (India Today) : In what could kickstart a fresh round of political slugfest between the ruling BJP and Opposition Congress, former Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief TV Rajeswar has claimed that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) had backed former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's decision to impose an Emergency in 1975.

In an exclusive interview with Karan Thapar on India Today TV show To The Point, Rajeswar said that RSS chief in 1970s Balasaheb Deoras had supported Indira Gandhi over some measures taken by her during the Emergency.

An internal Emergency was imposed on the country by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on June 25-26, 1975, and it lasted for 19 months.

Rajeswar, whose book India: The Crucial Years was released recently, revealed that the IB was completely surprised when the Emergency was announced. The former IB chief said he came to know about Indira's decision through a radio announcement.

Rajeswar revealed that Deoras "quietly established a link with the PM's house and expressed strong support for several steps taken to enforce order and discipline in the country. Deoras was keen to meet Mrs. Gandhi and Sanjay. But Mrs. Gandhi refused."

"The organization (RSS) had specifically conveyed its support to the Congress in the post-emergency elections," he added. This means that in 1977, when the Jan Sangh as part of the Janata Party was fighting Indira Gandhi, the RSS, its parent organization, was discreetly on Indira's side.

Rajeswar confirmed that the idea for the emergency was suggested by senior Congress leader Siddhartha Shankar Ray. "The list of people to be arrested was compiled in the Prime Minister's house. Instructions were issued telephonically but some Chief Ministers were summoned overnight by special plane and the list personally given to them," he said.

Rajeswar added that either Indira Gandhi or her son Sanjay would have personally handed over the list. "Government machinery, as such, wasn't involved," he said.

Congress protected Bhindranwale from police

Speaking about the Sikh unrest of the early 1980s, when he was Director of IB, Rajeswar said the then Punjab Chief Minister Darbara Singh and then Home Minister Giani Zail Singh would often act to protect Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale from police action and even tried to prevent his arrest. Indira Gandhi failed to take action against the two leaders as there were concrete proof against them.

Rajeswar said that as Director IB he was approached by an unnamed Akali source who suggested that the only way of sidelining Bhindranwale and creating lasting peace in Punjab was a Akali-Congress coalition. Rajeswar gave Indira Gandhi a 4-page note recommending this and, thereafter, she closely questioned him. She asked if the Akali contact was sincere and Rajeswar said he was sincere. However, Mrs. Gandhi didn't heed this advice.

"I strongly feel that if a settlement had taken place with the Akalis ... the history of Punjab and India could have been different," he said, adding "Even it's possible that Indira Gandhi's assassination could have avoided.

Advised against Operation Blue Star

Rajeswar told Karan Thapar that on 27 May 1984, just one week before Operation Blue Star, he strongly advised Indira Gandhi against the military operation.

"I told her India would face the biggest law and order problem since partition However, she went ahead with the idea," the former IB chief said.

Indira snooped on her colleagues

During the interview, Rajeswar also claimed that Indira Gandhi used both IB and RAW for "reports on men and matters, including reporting on Congress people". He, however, chose to remain silent when asked whether it was an abuse of power.

Interestingly, Rajeswar described Indira Gandhi an outstanding Prime Minister. When asked if she had outstanding faults he said, "No".