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Surprised to find both the left and the right eulogizing #SanjayGandhi . Haven't come across a single thread today which talks about his excesses. So I'm making one. A thread on the autocrat that was Sanjay Gandhi(1/n)
Despite having no prior experience or degree, Sanjay Gandhi somehow managed to get an apprenticeship with Rolls Royce. He became the managing director of Maruti after returning to India. This company received a contract from the govt to manufacture indigenous cars(2/n)
It hadn't even manufactured a single car by then.A single prototype was made which failed to pass the feasibility test. Traders were threatened to buy Maruti's shares. An executive was detained arbitrarily& released only after the company bought shares(3/n) https://www.business-standard.com/article/beyond-business/emergency-and-the-maruti-story-start-of-a-small-wonder-115070900758_1.html
The company was a total failure and produced only a single prototype while Sanjay was alive. It became successful only after Suzuki came to save the day. So much for "indigenous cars".(4/n)
This incident was referenced in Amrit Nahata's political satire "Kissa Kursi Ka". Needless to say, Sanjay wasn't pleased. The master print was burned in a Maruti factory. The Supreme Court as well as the Shah commission found Sanjay Gandhi guilty of the act(5/n)
As a result Sanjay Gandhi was sentenced to two years prison sentence. He went to jail for a month. This wasn't the only time Sanjay was involved in silencing speech. (6/n) https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/20061218-sanjay-gandhi-faces-trial-for-destroying-film-prints-784046-2006-12-18
Kishore Kumar was asked to sing in a function hosted by Indian Youth Congress to raise money for Sanjay Gandhi's forced sterilization drive. He refused. As a result, Sanjay banned his songs from All India Radio(source:- India After Gandhi by Ram Guha) 7/n
Around 6 million were forcibly sterilized in a year as a result of Sanjay Gandhi's campaign. Sanjay was also no friend of the poor(8/n) https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-30040790
He wanted to demolish slums. The infamous Turkman Gate was demolished and its inhabitants were fired upon. Some estimate that 200 people died. The protestors were ran over by bulldozers. This incident is portrayed in Rushdie's "Midnight's Children."(9/n)
Sanjay Gandhi was an autocrat. His policies directly resulted in the suffering of millions of poor and underprivileged individuals. Do not forget. Do not whitewash his crimes. Say it as it is. (10/10)
