Local residents claimed that Prasad was one of the pilots, along with Suresh Kalmadi, who bombed Mizo insurgents in March 1966 during Mizo National Front uprising.[8] This issue was mentioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Parliament in Lok Sabha in August 2023.[9][10]Sachin Pilot, son of Rajesh Pilot denied his father's involvement.[11]
In late 1979, Prasad resigned his commission while posted in Jaisalmer to enter politics, under the influence of his friend Rajiv Gandhi, who later became the Prime Minister of India.
In politics
He contested the 1980 Lok Sabha elections as an INC candidate from Bharatpur, changing his surname to Pilot at the same time.[4] Pilot emerged as a prominent Gurjar leader in India.[12] In his first election as a candidate, Pilot defeated the former queen of Bharatpur State.
On an official visit to the Netherlands in 1988, his Dutch counterpart, learning Pilot was a former IAF officer, arranged for him to fly a RNLAFF-16; the IAF subsequently invited Pilot to test a new MiG-29 following his return to India.[5]
He sent Chandraswami to prison when he was the Internal Security Minister. Later, he lost the election for the post of Congress president to Sitaram Kesri, but remained in the front line of Congress leaders.
Rajesh Pilot died on 11 June 2000 in a car crash near Jaipur.[13][14]
India Post has issued a commemorative postage stamp of ₹5.00 on 11 June 2008.
In New Delhi and Gurgaon, a road has been named in his honour. In Rewari, a roundabout was named after him.
Political career
Year
Event
1980
Won Lok Sabha elections from Bharatpur, Rajasthan
1984
Won Lok Sabha elections from Dausa, Rajasthan
1985–89
Minister for Surface Transport
1987
Set up the Jai Jawan Jai Kisan Trust
1991–93
Minister for Telecommunication, Government of India
1993–95
Minister for Internal Security, Government of India