By S Narendra
Former adviser to Vajpayee and other PMs
 |
| Pic courtesy: www.bjp.org |
Indian democracy has lost in Atal Behari Vajyaee’s passing
away one of its foremost champions. I had the privilege of working with him
when he was the prime minister, the last among the four PMs I served as the
Information Adviser. He was enormously courteous, open-minded, patient in his
dealing with civil servants like me. Atal ji encouraged us to speak up our
minds frankly. In one of my previous posts on PRapport, I have narrated my
experience of serving Prime Minister Vajpayee during his 13 days stint in
office in 1996. (http://prapport.blogspot.com/2015/09/blast-from-past-vajpayees.html)
Customarily, prime minister’s make a formal TV/Radio
broadcast to the nation soon after assuming office. As expected, when
Vajpayeeji became PM, I was asked by his close political aide Pramod Mahajan to
call the Doordarshan camera person to record the broadcast.
When the TV camera crew was making arrangements in PM’s
office, where Vajpayeeji was going through the draft text penned by Mahajan,
the prime minister called me and asked: ‘Have you seen the draft’. I had not. Although
I had kept a draft ready, Mahajan had told me that my draft was not required.
On the prime minister instructions, I read the draft and
hesitatingly give my opinion thus: “Sir, you are a national leader. Somehow,
this draft makes you a BJP prime minister. It does not fit your stature.”
Vajpayeeji reread the draft. The broadcast was cancelled.
I had not known Vajpayee ji personally. Some persons in the
party and media had conveyed to him that I was a Congress party chela and should be replaced.
Vajpayee ji could be a devastating critic of his political
opponents. Verbal attacks were measured and had rapier like sharpness, but
always fair, and rarely confrontationist. As a result, in politics he was a
consensus builder.
India of the present misses him and his political sagacity.
