Meanwhile, the Government is planning to put in place a set of guidelines for former officials writing about their days in sensitive organisations and departments. Raman’s book, due to hit the stands on Monday, is the second book in recent days dealing with the R&AW. An earlier book, India’s External Intelligence—Secrets of Research and Analysis Wing by Major General V K Singh, had annoyed the R&AW and prompted a request to ban it.

Raman’s book, which dwells at length on the history and evolution of the organisation, also takes a critical look at authorities for not taking preventive steps in the run-up to Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination. A few months before the assassination, there was an input from German intelligence about a Sri Lankan Tamil living in Germany and who was reputed to be an expert in explosives visiting Chennai.

“Unfortunately, this was not properly inquired into by the IB. They maintained that their inquiries did not indicate that he was an explosives expert,” writes Raman. The book notes that the entire focus of intelligence was on LTTE’s activities in Sri Lanka like gun-running and there was no specific focus on likely threats to Rajiv Gandhi’s security from it.

Another revelation deals with “potentially controversial move” to provide arms training to RSS cadres in Jammu so that they could be used for countering Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. Then Cabinet Secretary Vinod Pandey wanted the R&AW to organise “clandestine” arms training for the RSS cadres. Two meetings were held with the RSS—one each in Jammu and Delhi—to discuss the training. But the plan remained a non-starter after differences between VP Singh and the BJP over Babri Masjid, the book says.

... contd.