Suicide Bomb Kills Rajiv Gandhi In Today's History, May 21, 1991

JAKARTA History today, 34 years ago, May 21, 1991, Former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was killed by a suicide bombing. The death of Indira Gandhi's child turned into a horrendous event throughout India, then the world.

Previously, the 1991 Indian Election became one of the hottest political contestations in India. The party engine is really competing to get the most votes. This condition makes many parties use all means to win. Religious conflicts are being played. The victims were piled up. India became unsafe.

No one doubts that the 1991 Indian elections could attract the world's attention. The political contestation is predicted to involve half a billion people (514 thousand) to vote. Voting will take place at 600 polling stations spread across India.

The election did not only last a day, but gradually: May 20, May 23, and May 26, 1991. The party machines were also starting to be prepared. Mainly the Congressional Party, which incidentally was the ruling party, from Indira Gandhi to Rajiv Gandhi.

However, that does not mean that the election path is easy to predict. Everyone wants to win. Losing is considered prestige. This condition makes party machines race to find votes. Good campaign, dirty campaign is also played.

Identity politics narratives are not forgotten to be presented. The strategy of using caste and religion was deliberately spread out to gain votes. The results between residents often occur in bloody clashes. This condition even occurred on election day on May 20, 1991.

Many do not come to vote for security reasons. This condition is because sad news appears everywhere. Armed terror is the most feared. The Sikhs fight Hindus and Muslims. Vice versa.

Everything arises only because of a wave of political contestation. Deaths due to political contestation reached hundreds of people. In fact, there is no more expensive voice than life. The incident shocked the whole of India.

The heat of the summer in India has caused fear of violence to peak. This problem is coupled with the disgust of the Indian people towards politicians who are considered not to contribute to political interests. The elections are getting more and more cloudy because identity politics is getting worse.

Agama Sukhism (sikh), Hindu, and Islam while hostile to each other and sparking political debates that sparked high tensions. Today's Congressional Party official said that this may be the most violent election the country has ever experienced," Barbara Crosette explained in her article in The New York Times newspaper entitled Disfunded India; The Voters Make Clear Their Discontent, Giving No Party a Majority in Low Turnout (1991).

The chaotic atmosphere on the day of the election did not scare political figures. They continued to launch their campaign agenda. Rajiv Gandhi, especially. The Prime Minister of India in the 1984-1989 era continued to carry out his agenda to the areas of the sound barn.

Rajiv's activeness had to be paid dearly. Malang cannot be rejected. Rajiv Gandhi was actually a victim of a suicide bombing from a woman in Sriperumbudur, India on May 21, 1991. Rajiv's death shocked the whole world.

His death became an affirmation that the 1991 Indian Election was one of the most brutal in the world. The rest of the vote was postponed until June 1991 to fill the Indian people's space in mourning.

The Rajiv car stopped about 25 meters from the stage which was set up in an open desert for this general meeting. When local officials took a moment to talk to Suman Dubey, Mr Gandhi's campaign press adviser Gandhi, Mr Gandhi continued to advance towards the stairs to the stage.

"Suddenly there was a sound like a firecracker, then there was a big explosion. The explosion and puff of smoke that made people scattered everywhere. It all ended in seconds," Barbara Crossette said in her article on The Guardian's page titledRajiv Gandhi Assassinated in Bomb Blast (2012).