<P>While senior Navy officers, including a former Chief, have dismissed charges of misuse of aircraft-carrier INS Viraat — and which may be true — the fact remains that extensive government infrastructure and other services, including the Indian Navy’s, were utilised for Rajiv Gandhi’s entourage of family and friends.The conundrum remains alive nearly three decades after Rajiv met his ghastly end in Tamil Nadu. As the governor’s decision has been kept in abeyance for months, it’s clear it’s not the interregnum nature of the Union government that is holding up the release as much as the decisive hard line it took against any reprieve to terror associates. The bigger, but dreary, picture is one of the government machinery being eternally in thrall of the powerful and ready to serve at their beck and call even as talk rages freely about India’s inequalities. It may be only a coincidence that the Supreme Court ruled with finality over the power of pardon or remission of punishment, and upholding the right of the proper authority to free life convicts associated with his assassination on May 21, 1991. It’s the politically conflicted situation in which all Tamil parties are in unison, but the Congress can’t be seen to back the remission as it lost its leader. </P>
<P>The Tamil Nadu governor can order their release as the state and its people had almost unanimously sought remission of punishment for the seven who have virtually served two "life sentences" — the 28 years that were incarcerated.An overwhelming pan-Tamil sentiment was behind the TN Assembly resolution seeking the release of minor players in the conspiracy or even collateral damage after the LTTE suicide belt-bomber killed herself.. The governors hands were hands tied only by the reluctance of a government, known for its strong line against terror. The justice system can’t be expected to take into consideration that Rajiv Gandhis family had forgiven the killer and the life convicts.Former PM Rajiv Gandhi seems to have become the flavour of the season. It has also been pointed out that Prime Minister Modi took a top Bollywood actor who holds a foreign passport on board the Indian Navy warship INS Sumitra. It’s moot whether any humanitarian sympathy applies to plotters against a nation’s leader. to set a precedent after a former PMs life was snuffed out in a diabolical foreign plot. It’s a different issue altogether whether such excesses of that period should be a poll issue in 2019. The holidaying group included Amitabh Bachchan and his family, who stayed on Bangaram Island China slide bearings for New Year celebrations back in 1986-87. This created a standoff. It’s ironical that such a tragic figure should have become the focus of the current election campaign as Rajiv’s name has been brought into the fray by the current PM over the use or misuse of government facilities on a "working" holiday in Lakshwadeep.</P>

While this ritual has been going on since 680 AD, the year when the tragedy of Karbala took place, it has gained prominence in recent decades moreso after the fall of former dictator Saddam Hussain, the 88-km walk from Najaf to Karbala has become the highlight of the commemoration of Chehlum. “The rewards for undertaking the walk from Najaf to Karbala has been equated to the rewards one gets for doing Haj. Last year, the Iraqi government had made entry free and devotees reaching Iraq a week before Chehlum were exempted from getting visa. Though unconfirmed, figures of devotees traveling to Karbala from India last year was in the range of 12,000-15,000. The costs vary depending on the location of the hotel in Karbala.. The other alternative is through Iran which also falls in the same price range but with an addition of visit to Mashhad and Qom in Iran,” said Mr Lokhandwala. According to travel agents, the number travellers to Iraq for December 3 is almost equivalent to the number of people going for the annual Haj pilgrimage. As the cost of Haj is almost five times that of this trip, people prefer to go to Karbala,” he said, adding that the trip to Karbala was in no way an alternative for Haj. “The 10-12 day visit to Iraq by flight can cost anywhere between Rs 55,000 to Rs 90,000.

A large number of people from the Shia and Bohra community from Mumbai and other parts of the country are getting ready to travel to Iraq for the commemoration of Chehlum or fortieth day after the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, the grandson of Holy Prophet.Abbas Lokhandwala, another tour organiser, said that while tilting pad thrust bearings cost of accommodation in Karbala had gone up by almost 25 per cent over last year, people were bearing the cost with a smile.Every year, millions of devotees from all over the world visit Karbala in Iraq on the occasion of the fortieth day after the martyrdom of Hussain and return after paying homage at the mausoleum of Hussain and his family members. “Last year we had processed around 4,000 visas, this year the number is expected to go higher,” said Mr Nasser. Last year, according to figures provided by the Iraqi government about 22 million devotees visited Karbala from all over the world. Speaking about the increase in the number of people visiting Karbala on Chehlum, Zaheer Lakhani of Az Zaman Tours said that the number of people going for Chehlum has been on the rise every year for various reasons the most important being affordability and economy.A large number of people from the Shia and Bohra community from Mumbai and other parts of the country are getting ready to travel to Iraq for the commemoration of Chehlum or fortieth day after the mar.Mohammad Ali Nasser, spokesperson for Al-Shaya Travels which arranges for visa to Iraq, said that while they had already processed around 3,000 visas for devotees from western India for Chehlum, the number is expected to rise as the date nears. Tour organisers said the numbers could be higher as many people board flights to Iraq close to Chehlum and get visa on arrival at Najaf airport.

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