Pravin Mahajan recalls almost every single moment he has spent with his late brother and senior BJP politician Pramod Mahajan, for whose murder he was convicted by the lower courts. "I recall Pramod more than I do myself," he says, seated comfortably in the living room of his house in Thane. "He was a born genius. There cannot be a second Pramod."
In an exclusive, free-wheeling, interview that began at 8:30am on Monday and lasted two and a half hours, Mahajan, on a 14-day furlough, showed little remorse and was matter-of-fact in his replies. Excerpts from the interview:
How will you describe Pramod?
He was a born genius. He worked hard for his party. He took the responsibility of the family when he was just 21. He had won all debate competitions in Marathwada. He had successfully gained control over the university students' council by making an alliance of students of different castes. It was the Pramod Mahajan formula. First, Sena-BJP and now the Congress-NCP are implementing the same formula. There cannot be a second Pramod Mahajan.
I was the only courageous man who would ask him anything. He would call me Chandu. (Pravin was nicknamed Chandu after cricketer Chandu Borde.)
Then why did you kill him?
I did not kill Pramod. It happened. Can you believe it? I hardly think of it; you would imagine that the incident would keep coming back to me, but I do not think of that. Certain things are inexplicable. It happened in 15 minutes. I am not trying to evade it. There are many memories. You cannot erase them. Why only April 22 [the day Pramod was shot in 2006]? I recall everything. Pramod never deserved such a death. But as Kahlil Gibran says, "The murdered is not unaccountable for his own murder..."
Don't you think your book was a character assassination of Pramod?
Only you people [in the media] gave the book publicity. Why didn't you throw out the book? How can a person have a private life when he is in public life? Delhi spoils you. Power centre spoils you. It is not Pramod's fault. But how did Atalji and Advaniji remain clean?
How were your relations with Rekha [Pramod's wife]?
I knew her before she became my vahini [elder sister-in-law]. When my father died she was the only outsider in our home. She has a great contribution towards our family. She sold her gold ring to buy a ring for my wife Sarangi on our engagement. She never uttered a word about it. When the court asked whom Pramod loved the most, she pointed to me.
I saw a question in Vahini's eyes. She paid every price for Pramod. He had told her not to complain against me and Aai at any time. She used to work hard for all of us. She had to look after the guests. That time every distant relative would stay at our home. But vahini never said no to anybody. She gave them attention even if she wasn't feeling well.
What is your family going through now that you are in jail?
In the last three-and-a-half years, some people stopped coming to my home. Unki buddhi utni hi hai. But there are people who stood by me. They are far bigger than me. I met Prakash [his second brother] once. He had come to the court on October 30, 2007, the day I was sentenced for life. It was also Pramod's birthday. Nobody from the family called on me. Not even my mother. She still has a right to beat me up. I will not complain about it. She had called Sarangi on April 22, 2006, and advised her to close all the doors. Since then, there has been no communication.
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