Nalini Sriharan lives to tell the tale

CHENNAI: `On Seeing The News Of Rajiv Assassination On TV, I Wept ... Realised I Had Been Surrounded By Blood-Thirsty Wolves'
Nalini's narrative of her 50-day ordeal in custody of the special investigation team (SIT) probing Rajiv assassination and the travails of her daughter Arithra born in jail are not for the weak-hearted. Disrobed, punched in the chest, asked to make love with her husband in front of others, threatened with gangrape by policemen, chained and kept in a 5x5ft room for weeks, Nalini says she went through every possible third-degree torture in custody .Her pregnancy ­ like her will ­ survived.
To make her sign on confession statements, police took her to a lady doctor for abortion, but the doctor refused. Her daughter Arithra, now a doctor in London, would wail without food in jail. Several jail officials gave Nalini money and offered small help, keeping the child in mind. Arithra was sent to Coimbatore, later to Sri Lanka and from there to Europe by illegal ferries along with her uncles and aunts. While India denied her even student visa, though she was born Indian, the UK government offered asylum and assistance, helping her become a doctor.
Nalini says her husband's real name is Sriharan, though police started calling him Murugan for rea sons not known to her, Sriharan had fasted six times, for a total of 365 days, in jail, demanding various rights including food and medical care for their child, a visa for the child, and a name change.
Nalini says her life in jail was a little tolerable whenever Jayalalithaa was in power. The jail administration was a bit considerate during the AIADMK regime, she says. At several places in the autobiography she says during the DMK government, the jail officials were harsh on her. In 2006, after the DMK returned to power, they threatened to `arrest' her daughter if she was not immediately sent away to Sri Lanka, she says.
Nalini, when she was still a death row prisoner, wrote a letter to her daughter saying her last wish would be to spend a day with her and Sriharan. “I will cuddle you and say sorry to you for leaving you behind as an orphan in wilderness,“ she says.
Many top names sympathetically disposed towards Tamil Eelam cause have written their foreword to the book. They include ex-judge of Madras high court Justice D Hariparanthaman, MDMK leader Vaiko, VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan, film director-turned-politician Seeman, Kolathur Mani and lawyer-activist P Pugalenthi.
EXCERPTS
RAJIV GANDHI ASSASSINATION
May 21, 1991 is born. Subha and Dhanu told me that we should go to Sriperum pudur. Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi is going to address a public meeting. Subha, Dhanu, Sivarasan, Hari and I boarded a bus at Parry's Corner and they were chatting jovially all along. At the venue Sivarasan took Dhanu into the VIP enclosure; I sat in the women's section and watched a light music programme.I saw Sivarasan at a distance interacting with leaders. acting with leaders.
While Rajiv Gandhi was still on his way to the stage, Subha grabbed me and started dashing out of the venue. I asked, “Can't we see the leader (thalaivar) and go?“ Subha replied, “Keep quiet and come.“ I had crossed hardly 200m when the noise of a blast ripped through the crowd. People were wailing and running in all directions. I started trembling. I could not understand a thing. I could realise something ca lamitous has happened.
Then Sivarasan came running, and said, “Come let us go.“ I asked him, “ Anna, where is Dhanu. She is not to be seen.“ To this, Sivarasan said, “It is not a problem. She is with friends.She will come.“
We did not realise anything that night. The next day dawned with the news that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had been killed in a blast triggered while handing over a bouquet. The news was puzzling and frightening. When I went to office from Adyar, a holiday had been de clared. Then I went to mom's house at Royapet tah. She had been going around searching for me. On seeing the Rajiv Gandhi assassination news on television, my mom, younger sister and I wept. We did not eat anything.
I saw a photograph of Dhanu in a newspaper, identifying her as the human bomb. I realized I had been surrounded by blood-thirsty wolves.
LAST WISH
LETTER TO HER DAUGHTER ARITHRA
Following are the letters Nalini wrote to her daughter, now a doctor in London. Nalini and Murugan were still death convicts awaiting the noose: My Darling Daughter, before they hang me, they will ask me to spell out my one last wish. I will plead with them to allow me to live a day with my husband and daughter. On that d ay, I w i l l cuddle you on my lap, and tell you, “My Darling, my Gem, forgive us both for leaving you behind in wilderness, as an orphan.“
My husband and I were together only for three months. In that short period, we had seen a love relationship, marriage, imprisonment and, finally , gallows. We lived together for only a handful of days. We had hardly 10 days to pour our hearts out. After our death, please bury us together. Let us live together for long, at least after death.
Oh dear God, please do not inflict the agony and misery that our family had gone through, on anyone else in any country in any corner of the globe.
MEETING PRIYANKA, TAKING QUESTIONS
The highly confidential March 19, 2008 meeting between Priyanka Gandhi and Nalini at the superintendent's chamber inside the special prison for women came as a huge surprise to the outside world when The Times of India reported it on April 15, 2008: “I am Priyanka Gandhi.Why should my father be killed? He is a good man.Were you involved in this?“ When Priyank a Gandhikept shooting questions, Nalini still could not believe it was all real.She was nervous and palpitating.
NOW NALINI SAYS IN HER MEMOIRS:
I was not aware of anything of that sort. I had no knowledge whatsoever of their intentions. I became a prisoner of circumstances.
(Priyanka shot about 30 questions during the 90-minute rendezvous, the purpose of which remains a riddle to Nalini. She writes that the meeting could be part of government of India's diplomacy towards Sri Lanka) It was a time when Sri Lanka was cosying up to China, under an impression that since the Rajiv assassination case was still alive, India would not lean towards Eelam Tamils. Just to smash this belief, this meeting was organised.
The very next day after the news, Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse's young er brother Basil Rajapakse came to India. He stayed in India for three days and worked out a covenant with the government of India. Sri Lanka thereby returned to India's fold.
After the final Eelam war was over in 2009, Gothabaya Rajapakse gave an interview saying it was India's war, and it was completed with India's guidance.
THE ORDEAL
CUSTODIAL TORTURE
Nalini was two months pregnant when she was arrested. She says the special investigation team head planned to make her an approver and use her against others including her husband.
He thought I would sign on the dotted line. I refused. Then the chief inves tigation officer snatched away my thaali, smashed my glass bangles.
Another officer said my husband and I must make love in front of everyone. Sriharan (Murugan) did not understand what he said in English. When I told him, he shouted at the officer: “Did you join service after proper education or after watching pornographic films?“ The most cruel police officer to interrogate me was the one who was specially brought from Kerala.He slammed my chest and pulled my dupattah. I was frozen by shock. He tugged my churidhar and said: “This is only the beginning. There are boys waiting outside. I will disrobe you and go out and then you know what will happen next.“ I gave a confession statement.
After being confined in a room, handcuffed and chained, I was taken to a big hospital in Adyar where I was examined by a lady doctor. “The baby is healthy and developed well. Why do you want to abort it,“ she asked.Stunned, Nalini fell at her feet and pleaded, “Please do not do abortion. I am holding on to my life despite so much torture only because of my baby .“
The doctor then shouted at the police and said, “Go create an hospital within your department. Only they will oblige whatever you ask. Get out of my room.“
I still do not know who that lady doctor is. To me she is a goddess. Till this day, I pray for her welfare every day .