Get well soon, Atal-chacha....

I remember the time since it was a milestone in my personal life!! My folks and I were busy with my high school admissions, I was being admitted to Vidya Vardhaka Sangha High School in Rajajinagar 1st block and that was nothing short of a dream come true. It was early 1998 then and Atal Bihari Vajpayee became the 16th Prime Minister of India!!

I have been subject to ad hoc tarka-vaada sessions on rights and wrongs ever since I can remember. Current affairs, science, technology, math, sports, films, books, music and even Advaitha philosophy formed the dinner table conference topics at my place. Watching the 9pm Star News just before dinner was almost an unbreakable ritual. It was a pleasure to watch Prannoy Roy and Vinay Chandra deliver the happenings across the nation and abroad, with finesse.

Generally how and what our family think, we presume that as right and so build our ideologies and beliefs. My family has always been for progress and rationalism, and never a fanatic for any political party as such. I was encouraged to read editorials in the dailies or headlines at least each day, and that coupled with must watch 9pm Star News gave me this strong headway to be able to form my own opinions on anything and everything.

Coming back to what I intend to say, it was election time in the year 1998 and results were almost out. The saffron flag flew high. It was then I was introduced to Atal Bihari Vajpayee..

I have always liked listening to stories and my silence at our regular dinner table discussions prompted my mum and dad to tell me about our then Prime Minister, whom they fondly adored, still do!!

Vajpayee-ji was born on Dec 25th 1924 at Gwalior. He holds a masters degree in Poiltical Science and is also an eminent poet and journalist. He began his political career very early as a freedom-fighter but gained notice only after being elected to the Parliament in 1957 as the leader of BJS (Bharatiya Jana Sangh) His commanded respect, recognition and acceptance even in the opposition.

During the general elections in 1977 after the resignation of Indira Gandhi, BJS joined hands with various like-minded regional and social parties to form the Janata Party which eventually won the polls with Morarji Desai as the Prime Minister and Vajpayee-ji as the Minister for External Affairs. During this tenure, he created history with his visit to China in 1979 thereby settling relationships with China after the 1962 Indo-China war. He also visited Pakistan and initiated normal dialogue and trade relations that were frozen since the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War and subsequent political instability in both countries. Vajpayee-ji represented the nation at the Conference on Disarmament, where he defended the national nuclear program, the centerpiece of national security in the Cold War world, especially with neighboring China being a nuclear power.*

The rise of the Janata party and subsequent birth of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 1980 with Vajpayee-ji and others like LK Advani, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat as lead, witnessed many milestones of Indian History like opposition to Sikh militancy in Punjab, Operation Bluestar, the following Hindu-Sikh harmony, the demolition of Babri Masjid at Ayodhya etc.

His first stint as Prime Minister in 1996 was a mere 13 days as the BJP was unable to gather a majority. His second stint in 1998-99 saw Vajpayee-ji remaining as “care-taker-prime-minister” till the general elections but witnessed few historic milestones like the five successful nuclear tests at Pokhran, the Lahore Summit, the Delhi-Lahore Bus service and the tragic Kargil war.

I remember the Social science class room discussions with BLM ma’am where we spoke of Pokhran tests and the retaliating Chagai tests by Pakistan. Kargil war details were splashed across the newspapers and all TV channels while we contributed a modest amount from our school to the Indian Army. Although we were too young to assess the magnanimity of the war and the surrounding horror, we were all jubilant and proud to be able to come of help to the country as and when need arose. I even wrote a poem, “An Ode to the Kargil Heroes”, which was widely appreciated.

Vajpayee-ji led BJP won a stable majority in 1999 and on Oct 13th 1999, Vajpayee-ji took oath as the 16th Prime Minister of India. This was history itself for becoming the first non-Congress government to last the full term of five years. Almost everything that followed was a part of our daily talks. This included the National Highway Development programme wherein Vajpayee-ji took personal interest, the then US President Bill Clinton’s visit to India, the Ram Janmabhoomi issue, the Kashmir issue, the RSS-VHP-BJP alliance, Vajpayee-ji’s knee surgery at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital, the Tehelka scandal, the attack on Parliament building and of course, the breaking of ice in Indo-Pak relationships when the then Pak President Pervez Musharraf not only visited India but also paid a visit to his birthplace and his ageing childhood nanny touching a sentimental nerve across borders. Last but not the least, Vajpayee-ji and his government led the mass literacy scheme “Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan”, which aimed at improving the quality of education in primary and secondary schools, eradicating illiteracy, and providing school children with midday meals. It has been reasonably successful. I also remember this album containing his poems that was released. Shah Rukh Khan starred in the album.

A collage of the Sonia Gandhi led Indian National Congress and various minor political allies, called United Progressive Alliance, won the 2004 general elections and India is currently under the tenure of Dr. Manmohan Singh. Vajpayee-ji retired from active politics in Dec 2005. He is currently hailed as one of the grand-patriarchs of the party and of the country too, from various perspectives.

Vajpayee-ji was such a major figure in my growing years. My family being such great supporters of Vajpayee-ji, I grew up with immense respect for the octogenarian. Everything about him was news and we were proud to say he was our Prime Minister. The best times were when we had Vajpayee-ji as our Prime Minister and Dr.Abdul Kalam as our President. India could proudly flaunt to the rest of the world, for having such stalwarts to lead.

Flashes of my high school days came back to me when I read in the newspapers last week that Vajpayee-ji had taken ill. News had it that he was admitted to AIIMS when he complained of chest pain and is put on a ventilator. A part of me felt very sad on saturday to hear Vajpayee-ji’s health was further deteriorating. I just saw the latest web results and I now feel like cheering.

Atal-chacha is stable and responding to the treatments.

Dearest Atal-chachaji,
You have been a patriarchal figure in our country’s history. You have been an invariable hero for countless youngsters like me. We salute you and we need you all the more now, especially since we are old enough to release the burden from your shoulders to take up our responsibilities and thereby take our country in the road to progress. Your immense experience and your advice to us are greatly required. Get well soon.

Wishing you a speedy recovery!!