Tarun Chugh
True son of mother India, strong parliamentarian, honest journalist, sensitive, and expert in literature and politics, if I met anyone with all these qualities, it was Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Vajpayee was one among those virtuous souls, who proved themselves in every stage of life. It is not possible to describe a personality like Atal Bihari Vajpayee in few words. He was role models for their supporters and adversaries as well. Atal Bihari was a down to earth person and made space in hearts of people as ‘Public Prime Minister’. He was a person, equally popular among youth, women, elders and all sections of society. Atal had a special attachment with children and youth, and had a special place in their hearts. Following his steps, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also made a special place among people by making direct contact with them.
As Prime Minister of country, he set values and ideals in politics which are worth following. Vajpayee led a spotless and clean political career and life, due to which he was liked by everyone, including opponents. Due to his approach of considering national interest as supreme, he is also known as ‘Yug Purush’.
Whenever Vajpayee used to put a point in Parliament, none was able to counter him. It is worth mentioning here that present opposition leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Nitish Kumar, Mamta Banerjee, Kejariwal, Chandrashekhar Rao, M K Stalin, Sharad Pawar, Akhilesh Yadav, Asaduddin Owaisi, etc are still against the vision of the Government to ensure development of all on the principal of ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas’. These leaders are even now creating hurdles in the initiatives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi make the country a Vishwa Guru. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was born on 25th December, 1924 at Gwalior. After completing his B A from Laxmibai College, erstwhile Victoria College, Gwalior, Vajpayee qualified Master’s degree in Arts from DAV College, Kanpur in first class. He was fond of participating in debates and other activities. He was also an activist of RSS and used to participate in various activities. As a journalist, he contributed a lot to Rashtradharam, Panchjanya and Veer Arjun etc. He used to read many magazines filled with national spirit. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a founding member of Bharatiya Jana Sangh and has served party for a long time and had worked with leaders like Dr Syama Prasad Mukherjee and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay.
Atal Bihari remained national president of Bharatiya Jana Sangh from 1968 to 1973 and won from Balrampur as Member of Parliament in 1957. He remained leader of Jana Sangh continuously from 1957 to 1977. Atal Bihari Vajpayee opposed the imposition of emergency in 1977. After Lok Sabha elections, for the first time in the country under the leadership of Morar ji Desai, Atal Bihari Vajpayee became the Foreign Minister in Congress government and became the first leader to deliver an address in United Nations in Hindi. After dissolution of Janata Party in 1980, Atal Bihari Vajpayee became the first President of Bharatiya Janata Party.
In 1996 Lok Sabha elections, BJP emerged as the largest party and he became the Prime Minister of country but for 13 days. In 1998 elections, BJP emerged a winner and Vajpayee became the Prime Minister for the second time, just for 13 months, during which he took several significant decisions like five underground nuclear tests at Pokhran, tax protection etc. India was facing various kinds of challenges at that time but under the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Government handled it successfully.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee, gave a focused attention to develop friendly relations between India & Pakistan and also launched Bus-service from Delhi to Lahore on the name of Sada-e-Sarhad on February 19, 1999 renamed Sada-e-Sarhad from Delhi to Lahore. It was Vajpayee Government, under which the country defeated Pakistan in Kargil war, recapturing the areas which were illegally occupied by the army of Pakistan. Again in 1999, under leadership of Vajpayee, BJP won the elections and emerged as a single largest party, after which coalition Government was formed. Vajpayee’s government completed its five-year term during which it touched many dimensions of progress within the country and implemented many schemes for welfare of poor, farmers and youth. Atal has been felicitated with many awards, both from inside and outside country and in 2015, President of country presented Bharat Ratan to him. This great hero and leader of masses left for heavenly abode on August 16, 2018, making end of an era.
(The author is National General
Secretary, BJP).
