Sartaj Singh
‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’ chronicles the true story of the 1999 hijacking incident that shook India, shining a light on the perspectives of the hostages, bureaucrats, politicians, and even the terrorists themselves. Among the politicians, we are introduced to Foreign Minister Vijaybhan Singh (Pankaj Kapur). A former military man, he is the overseeing elected representative in the crisis meeting and keeps watch over the unfolding situation throughout. However, his hands appear to be tied in taking action when the hijacked plane lands in Amritsar. Despite police forces on standby, no one is willing to take the responsibility to order a commando operation.
When the plane lands in Kandahar and negotiations are underway, Vijaybhan Singh cuts through the uncertainty and places the lives of his countrymen above all else, decisively backing the prisoner release deal. Crafted by Anubhav Sinha and Trishant Srivastava based on Devi Sharan and Sringjoy Chowdhury’s 2000 book, ‘Flight Into Fear,’ the Netflix series dramatically recounts the hijacking with gripping reenactments. Pankaj Kapur is particularly brilliant as a contemplative and compassionate minister, which leads to questions regarding the historical figure he depicts.
Vijaybhan Singh is Based on Former Minister Jaswant Singh
Pankaj Kapur’s character is a creative stand-in for the Minister of External Affairs at the time of the 1999 hijacking, Jaswant Singh. The Netflix mini-series has retained most of the chief characteristics of the then-minister, sticking closely to his views and stance on the incident. Suave and deliberate, Jaswant Singh had formerly been an officer in the Indian army, commanding the Central India Horse unit of allegiance as Captain in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 and Major in the Sino-Indian border dispute of that same year. He retired after 10 years of service in 1966 and joined politics, becoming one of the founding members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Sophisticated and well-spoken, Singh became a valuable asset of the party, being elected to the Rajya Sabha on a BJP ticket five times and winning Lok Sabha elections four times throughout his career. The IC 814 Hijacking took place during the tenure of BJP Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, with Jaswant Singh taking on the critical role of External Affairs Minister between 1998 and 2002. His tenure was marked by an extremely high-pressure incident prior to the hijacking: the 1998 Pokhran-II nuclear tests. At the time, the United States imposed sanctions against India, leaving Jaswant Singh engaged in a long-term dialogue with the superpower opposite Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott. Over the course of their talks, Talbott commended him for his diplomatic and negotiation skills.
Jaswant Singh Headed Hijacking Negotiations and Faced Criticism For the Deal
The Netflix series focuses on Jaswant Singh as the sole Indian politician involved in the incident, likely for the sake of simplification and because of his key role in the negotiations. As hinted by the show, the minister was acting under the decisions of the party. A key difference between the show and reality arises from a moment of dramatization when Vijaybhan Singh says that he wishes to go to Kandahar to hug every freed hostage and assure them. As Foreign Minister, Jaswant Singh was sent to Kandahar to oversee negotiations by Atal Bihari Vajpayee as he was one of the Prime Minister’s most trusted men. The show also depicts that Singh pushed for the prisoner exchange when, in reality, the situation was more nuanced.
As he traveled to Kandahar with the terrorists for the transfer and praised the Taliban for their cooperation, Jaswant Singh drew most of the flak for the deal, being criticized by the media and opposition. Even a decade after the incident, the memories of the hijacking remained painful for him to recall, representing one of the most gut-wrenching chapters of his life. “It was not my decision alone,” he stated in a 2013 interview. “The entire cabinet decided. Advaniji and Arun Shourie were initially opposed to it, even I was reluctant but (then) Prime Minister Vajpayee felt that every effort must be made to save the lives of the passengers hence we all fell in line.”
Jaswant Singh Passed Away in 2014 While in a Coma
At the age of 76, Jaswant Singh slipped into a coma in 2014. While at his residence in New Delhi, he fell, leading to internal bleeding and the formation of a clot. He was rushed to the Army Research and Referral Hospital by his son, Bhupendra Singh, where he fell into a coma and was put on life support. He remained in a coma for six years surrounded by the love and care of his loved ones. However, he couldn’t recover and ultimately passed away on 27 September 2020 at the age of 82. “Jaswant Singh ji served our nation diligently, first as a soldier and later during his long association with politics,” wrote Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Twitter (X). “During Atal ji’s Government, he handled crucial portfolios and left a strong mark in the worlds of finance, defence and external affairs. Saddened by his demise.”
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