Articles
M L Foredar’s Revelations
Dt: 9/1/18
M L Foredar’s Revelations
Dr T.H.Chowdary*
M L (Makhan Lal) Fotedar ( b. 5/3/1932 d. 28/9/2017) is a flattering, abject and servile admirer and foot soldier of Indira- Rajiv- Sonia line. In 2015 he penned a book with the title, “Chinar Leaves” ( A Political Memoir) full of adulatory narratives about Indira Gandhi, Rajiv and Sonia . He is a Kashmiri Pundit. It contains his version of some events in which he claims himself as a prime actor and benefactor of Indira- Rajiv- Sonia and Priyanka. Here are a few interesting revelations:
· Indira Gandhi dictated her WILL to Fotedar, a part of which he has reproduced in the book. Indira desired that her political legacy should belong to Priyanka and not to Rahul. This portion was read out by Fotedar to Rajiv. Rajiv was pleasantly surprised. Rajiv accordingly was grooming Priyanka in politics and statecraft and not Rahul”.
· Indira Gandhi advised Rajiv Gandhi that if ever he became Prime Minister, he should not make Madhav Rao Scindhia a Minister in his cabinet and that he should not bring Amitabh Bachan into politics. Fotedar regrets that Rajiv did not respect Indira’s advice in regard to Priyanka, Madhav Rao and Bachan.
· Sonia Gandhi went with a list of 272 supporting MPs to the President in 1999 immediately after Vajpayee’s government was pulled down by one vote. Madhava Rao Scindhia wanted to prevent Sonia from becoming the Prime Minister. He contacted Amar Singh, the purse and conscience keeper of Mulayam Singh and prevailed upon him to withdraw his party’s support to Sonia Gandhi. That did it . Sonia had no majority MPs on her side and so she could not be invited to form the government. Madhav Rao Scindhia died in a mysterious areophane accident on 30 Sept 2001.
· Fotedar told by Indira to take some instruction from Sanjay Gandhi. Fotedar was treated very rudely. He observed , “ Sanjay sounded rude and dismissive. I had nothing but contempt for him for the way he briefed me….”.
· Fotedar claims that he helped Narasimha Rao to become the Prime Minister but that Narasimha Rao proved to be underserving and ungrateful. He suggests that Narasimha Rao was responsible for the destruction of the Babri structure.
· The autobiographies from people in politics are mainly meant for projecting their self- assumed importance. Fotedar estimates of the personalities of Sarad Pawar, Narasimha Rao, Arjun Singh , N D Tiwari, Sitaram Kesari, Sheela Dixit, Karan Singh shown almost all of them in bad light. Karan Singh who voluntarily deposed before the Shah Commission about Emergency Excesses shamelessly canvassed to become President after his capitulation to Indira, post-1980.
· Fotedar for all his services to Indira, Rajiv and Sonia was not given his due in the government, he said. He was bitter that Narasimha Rao dropped him from his cabinet because of his (Fotedar’s) suggestive words that Narasimha Rao was responsible for the destruction of the Babri structure. He split the Congress ( the 4th time) and formed, together with Arjun Singh, Congress (T) (T-standing for Narayan Dutt Tiwari). Later, like all other break –aways, [except Sarad Pawars National Congress(P)] it merged with Sonia’s Congress(I).
· Rajiv Gandhi was to fight the by- election to the Lok Sabha from Amethi caused by the death of Sanjay Gandhi. Money was required. Indira Gandhi had a selective approach. She accepted Rs. 1 lakhs from Oberai (the hotel king) and Rs. 2 lakhs from JRD Tata . A R Antulay, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra sent Rs. 5 lakhs. Indira rejected it. Sheila Kaul, Education Minister sent Rs. 3 lakhs through her PA. Indira Gandhi asked Fotedar to ascertain from Sheela Kaul from where she got that money, the name and address of the person. Sheela Kaul did not disclose. She sent her PA and took the suitcase of money back. Indira explained to Fotedar her approach to accepting money. Indira would accept only from her true friends and who did not expect any quid pro quo favours.
· Fotedar alleges that P.V. Narasimha Rao conspired to get T Anjaiah dismissed as Chief Minister presumably because he was of low birth and was becoming popular among the masses. (686 words)
END