The time was mid-1950s. Some burning political issue of national importance rocked the Parliament in which the opposition pilloried the ruling Congress. The fire-brand BJP member and orator, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, then in his early thirties, poured out sublime after sublime and ridicule after ridicule like the Niagara Fall that stunned the entire Parliament. The Speaker of the House tried to contain him. Prime Minister Nehru intervened and said to the Speaker, Please let him speak, he is the future Prime Minister of India.” Nehru’s vision and his liberalism both proved true.
The greatness of Indian civilization and the philosophy of Indian democracy can have no brighter and healthier an example than that fifty-five years after that event in the Parliament, the President of India, who has been a staunch Congress man throughout his life, drove down the avenues of Lutyen’s Delhi to confer country’s highest civilian award, namely Bharat Ratna, on Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the legendary leader.
He deserved to receive this highest national award many years ago. Nevertheless, delayed conferment further enhances his prestige and gives him enviable place in the annals of national history. The award coincided with his 90th birthday. Although he is the first former Prime Minister outside the pale of long ruling Congress party who has been given the prestigious award, yet his political opponents as well as friends were all unanimous in recognizing his services to the nation. He is indisposed and physically unable to move out of his house. Leaders of all hues and ideologies eschewed their political differences with him and joined the galaxy of participants at his residence not to miss the rare opportunity of being present at the investiture ceremony.
Vajpayee is the only politician in our country who began his career in the Parliament and left it with the Parliament. He dedicated his entire life to the service of the nation whether he remained in the opposition or in the Government. His spirit of nationalism was so realistic that he could never make difference between political friends and foes in whatever position they were. An orator of no mean order, a poet, a humorist and a lawyer of eminence, he remains foremost among the top echelons of our political leadership. He has been the living witness of the growth of our Parliament and the law.
Vajpayee’s contribution, and of course no ordinary a contribution it is, essentially remains in laying very strong foundations of our democratic traditions of the Parliament. He upheld the dignity of the Parliament and of the nation. For the most part of his life and career in the Parliament, he remained the leader of opposition. Even in that capacity, he remained the most disciplined leader whose vision and deep analysis of situations made him a figure to whom everybody listened. Future generations will draw inspiration from his patriotism, his dedication to the rule of law and his ways of injecting moral values to political philosophy. In a sense he was the foremost among the Gandhians.
Atal Bihari Vajpaee endeared himself to the millions of Indians from his personal example of astute political leadership who never succumbed to ambitions, worldly benefits and never trivialized politics for personal aggrandizement.
Among his achievements and visions is the founding and nurturing of Bharatiya Janata Party, the alternative to Congress and now in power at the Centre. He was the spirit behind the concept of north-south and east-west road connectivity in India, the corridors that would connect entire India in a communication grid. He is a man of peace and one who made all effort to develop friendly relations with our neighbouring countries. Like all human beings in a position of power, Vajpayee too, had his bitter cup at one or the other time. In search of peace, he travelled all the way to Lahore to meet with his counterpart Nawaz Sharif and sign the famous Lahore Declaration. Yes, he wanted to take the credit of restoring peace in the region. But his efforts were not destined to be crowned with success because while he was engrossed in peace parleys with Pakistan premier, Pakistani army chief was planning it sabotage in most gruesome manner. It cost Nawaz Sharif his premiership.
Not deterred by the failure of his mission in Lahore, Atal Bihari Vajpayee made yet another bid and tried to control the damage in Agra where he met with General Musharraf, a person too impetuous to snatch the credit of restoring peaceful relations with India but without real intentions to do so.
Mufti Sayeed, the J&K Chief Minister was among the guests who gathered in the Bharat Ratna award ceremony at the residence of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He said that the people of Kashmir have profound respect for Vajpayee who had uttered the famous words “insaniyat ke nate” when talking about Kashmir. It is no mean an honour to Vajpayee that Kashmir leader entreats Indian leadership; to take up the thread of resolving Kashmir issue where Atal Bihari had left it.
Trained and brought up in the ethos of Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh, Atal Bihari was labeled as the “mask” of RSS by his political detractors. Yet the same group called him the most moderate of all BJP leadership with strong element of pragmatism. When the Bangladesh war against Pakistan was won, Vajpayee gave the epithet of ‘Durga” to Indira Gandhi, the same Indira Gandhi, who had sent him to the prison house during emergency. When he became Prime Minister in 1998 he did not utter a single word against Indira or her party. He once lost confidence motion in the Parliament by a solitary vote cast by a member of a regional party. To the same party he offered the post of MOS for External Affairs when he came to power for the second time. Such was the large heartedness of Vajpayee. The dissident was amply rewarded by the Congress so as to rise and become a provincial chief. How much dangerous is non-transparent politicking.
We highly appreciate the decision of Modi Government to confer nation’s highest civilian award on the legendry leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee. We also highly appreciate the magnanimity of the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee for laying a glorious tradition of coming to the residence of Vajpayee, who is not physically able to move, and conferring upon him the highest national award. The President has not only honoured a veteran leader and social legend, he has, in fact, honoured the whole of Indian nation. When there is roll call of honour, this nation will rise in unison and hail the leader as its guiding spirit and its loadstar.
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