Honouring former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his birthday, it brings to mind the inception of the Bharatiya Janata Party, a result of his dedication, perseverance, and sacrifice. The party, under the leadership of his favoured successor Narendra Modi, ascended to power and embarked on a steadfast journey in Indian politics. How effective has their pursuit of a socioeconomic revolution been? This echoes the expectations placed on every successor within a family.
In 2001, Atal ji identified Narendra Modi as a bright and dedicated individual committed to the organization, society, and the nation, despite lacking prior experience in holding positions of power. Since then, Narendra Modi’s ascent from Chief Minister of Gujarat to Prime Minister in 2014 has seen remarkable achievements over the past decade.
I first encountered Atalji’s mindset, principles, and demeanour back in 1972 during my tenure as a correspondent at Hindusthan Samachar. At the time, there were only a handful of Jan Sangh MPs, among whom he stood out as a compelling orator and a seasoned leader known for his humble and warm disposition.
He resided at 1 Firoz Shah Road, while coincidentally; I lived in a section of the bungalow belonging to my Rajya Sabha MP from Ujjain, Sawai Singh Sisodia, at 5 Windsor Place (now the location of the Women’s Press Club) at the opposite end of the same road. During that era, establishing phone contact between these residences was somewhat challenging, although meeting political leaders for various activities wasn’t overly difficult.
Consequently, whenever I got a chance I engaged in extensive conversations with Atalji over tea. Beyond just catching up on current affairs, I had the privilege of delving into and comprehending his ideologies. Atal ji had a profound connection with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and held great respect for those who held differing viewpoints within the realm of Hindu philosophy.
Over the span of fifty years, the spectrum of politics has displayed a multitude of hues. What’s intriguing is how Narendra Modi progressed alongside figures like Atal, Advani, and Joshi. Not only did he align with their principles, but he also excelled in the ideals and organizational aspects of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
In 1993, during a lengthy conversation with Atal ji for a chapter of my book, he confided, expressing with me his apprehensions about bearing the immense responsibility as a Prime Minister of the nation. His acceptance resonated with a profound sense of ideals and life values. Consequently, he navigated through numerous compromises to sustain a coalition government, initially as Prime Minister for 13 days, then 13 months, and eventually for 5 years.
Despite this, he charted a new course for the politics of authority. After working for years among the volunteers, workers and the general public, he understood the problems well. That is why he started programs for the development of rural-urban areas along with education, and health facilities by laying a network of roads. Started implementation of schemes like communication, energy production and nuclear testing.
His successor Narendra Modi adopted the same path and also started the implementation of schemes like communication, energy production and nuclear testing. Despite the Lahore bus trip, Atalji was cheated by Pakistan.
Yes, we got the credit for defeating Pakistan in Kargil. His successor Narendra Modi adopted the same path and tried good relations with Pakistan and China and at the same time successful in giving a befitting reply on the borders.
In the same way, new records were set in the construction of roads, railway services and airports across the country. Strengthened diplomatic and economic relations not only with America, Russia, Europe, and Africa but also with Islamic Arab countries. Not only this, Modi has fulfilled the dream for which Atal ji struggled from Parliament to the streets to liberate Kashmir from Article 370 and to build a grand temple in Ram Janmabhoomi Ayodhya.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has, to a certain extent, aligned several initiatives with Atalji’s objectives.