LTTE responsibility for Gandhi assassination

A top leader of LTTE (also known as the Tamil Tigers) has apologised for the assassination of Indian Premier Rajiv Gandhi back in 1991. Kumaran Pathmanathan, who was the Treasurer of LTTE and its chief arms procurer, said that 'mistakes had been made in making Gandhi a target of the Tiger’s campaign for independence.

He continued: “We have already paid a high price. We don't have anything to lose.  We beg you....Sorry for all this. We know the feelings of the son (Rahul) of Rajiv Gandhi....How father and daughter are attached (reference to Rajiv's daughter Priyanka)"

Pathmanathan was captured in an un-named South East Asian country in August 2009 having been on wanted lists in over 15 countries and evaded authorities for over 20 years.

Rajiv Gandhi was part of the family dynasty that begun at Midnight on 15th August in 1947 when India claimed independence from the British and Jawaharlal Nehru was elected the first Prime Minister of India until his death in 1964.

His premiership was soon followed by that of his daughter Indira Gandhi, who was assassinated, as was her successor and son Rajiv. Incidentally, the widow of Rajiv is the President of the INC (Indian National Congress is one of the founding political parties in post 1948 India) after having declined the position of Prime Minister after the INC’s 2004 election victory.

It is widely predicted that the offspring of Rajiv and Sonia Gandhi-Rahul and Priyanka will follow in the footsteps of their great grandfather, grandmother and father. They like their mother occupy senior positions and a significant power base within the INC

Despite the essentially undemocratic and un-meritocratic nature of family dynasties’ there is a romance and fascination with them throughout the modern political world. Right or wrong from the Roosevelts’ to the Kennedys’ and the Clintons’ to the Milibands’ they continue to fascinate and intrigue.