Born on 25 December 1924, former Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a statesman in true sense.
Loved and respected beyond party lines, he was a fine orator and poet, who served three terms (1996, 98-99 and 99-2004) as the Prime Minister of India.
On the other side of the picture, we had former Prime Minister late Indira Gandhi, who was first and only woman Prime Minister of India till date.
BJP’s Vajpayee and Congress Gandhi were known as two of the most influential PMs India had.
On Vajpayees 96th birthday today, let us have a look at the not-so-political? relationship that the two shared.
In 1971, the Pakistani army surrendered and India emerged victorious in 1971 Indo-Pak war. Leader of Opposition and Jan Sangh leader Vajpayee, united entire Opposition to back Indira and led the famous standing-ovation? given to Gandhi after she had addressed the Lok Sabha on India’s victory against Pakistan.
India saw a leader in Vajpayee, who although being in Opposition stood at the frontline to support his Prime Minister.
We might have different opinions on political matters but we come from the same country; when it comes to India, we are One, said Vajpayee backing Gandhi’s decision of going on war against Pakistan.
The days to glory for India did not last long and the country witnessed the darkest hour in Indian democracy, when Gandhi declared Emergency on June 25, 1975.
Senior leaders in the Opposition, along with Vajpayee, were arrested at midnight without a warrant and were locked up for more than 20 months.
Even after taking away the right to live? from Vajpayee during Emergency, he was the first to reach out to Gandhi when he discovered that her younger son, Sanjay Gandhi, had passed away in a plane crash at Delhi flying club in 1982.
It is said that Vajpayee had offered his support to Gandhi in her bad times and was quoted saying, I did not go to meet her as the PM; I met her as a mother, who had lost her son.
Vajpayee never spared Gandhi in parliament debates on matters of governance and national security but always supported her as he believed, We want India to achieve height; government must be criticized and supported at the same time.