By N Nagarajan
Atal Bihari Vajpayee—thrice Prime Minister, poet, statesman, and a rare politician with an abiding sense of humour—stood apart even in moments of political adversity. It is said that after an electoral defeat, when party colleagues cited various reasons—from sabotage by allies to lack of organisational effort—Vajpayee listened quietly, eyes closed. When everyone had spoken, he smiled and remarked, “Now that no reasons are left, let us have tea.” Such wit masked deep political wisdom.
Though he supported the construction of a grand Ram Temple, Vajpayee never insisted on the specific site where the Babri Masjid stood. This moderation often put him at odds with hardliners. In Surat in 1998, when volunteers raised loud slogans of “Jai Shri Ram,” he gently but firmly silenced them by saying, “Bolte raho Jai Shri Ram, par karo mat koi aur kaam.”
I was fortunate to attend several of Vajpayee’s public meetings and to see him at close quarters in New Delhi, which he represented in Parliament in 1977 and 1980. While much has been written about his achievements as Prime Minister, it must be remembered that he spent the larger part of his political life as a formidable opposition leader. In Parliament, he wielded words with precision—never resorting to personal or below-the-belt attacks. Even his fiercest critics acknowledged his grace and restraint.
During the Emergency, Vajpayee’s commitment to democracy was tested severely. Arrested and detained, he was lodged at AIIMS due to ill health, yet his resolve remained unbroken. The experience only deepened his belief in constitutional values and civil liberties—principles he upheld throughout his life.
Vajpayee was deeply pained when the Janata Party split, despite a solemn oath taken before Jayaprakash Narayan to keep it united. His anguish found expression in his poignant Hindi poem “Shama Karo Bapu”, seeking forgiveness from Mahatma Gandhi and JP for failing to honour that pledge, yet promising to carry forward the spark lit by the Lok Nayak to dispel darkness.
It is doubtful whether today’s opposition—or even the ruling party—has absorbed the lessons of Vajpayee’s political conduct. Ironically, his towering image may still fetch electoral dividends, much as Indira Gandhi’s legacy did for the Congress in 1984. Even in death, Vajpayee displayed magnanimity, passing away on 16 August—allowing the nation to celebrate Independence Day without the shadow of personal loss.
