VIEWPOINT
Atal Bihari Vajpayee claimed a respect that transcended political boundaries. His poetic sensibilities and ability to charter out ways to reach out to difference strands of ideologues while retaining his own ground made him a trustworthy politician. There are many who condemn his politics but nothing can alter the fact that he has had a major contribution to Indian politics.
Arvind Kumar Patel is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Janki Devi Memorial College, University Of Delhi, New Delhi.
One of the doyens of Indian politics and arguably the most respected politician in contemporary India, Bharat Ratna and three times Prime Minister of India, Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed away on August 16, 2018 at AIIMS after a prolonged illness. He was 93.
A parliamentarian for 47 long years, Mr. Vajpayee was a member of Lok Sabha 10 times and he represented Rajya Sabha for two terms. Starting his political career as a pracharak of Rashtriya Swamsevak Sangh (RSS) in 1939 and taking part in Quit India Movement of 1942, Mr. Vajpayee was one of the prominent founders of Jan Sangh in 1951.
It must be noted that Jan Sangh was established as a political arm of the RSS. After the demise of its founding fathers: Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and Deen Dyal Upadhyay, it was Vajpayee who occupied the leadership position in Jan Sangh. After initial glitches of Jan Sangh’s performance in various elections at national level and in states, Vajpayee rose into prominence when a coalition of four parties called Janata (Jan Sangh, Congress-O, Lok Dal and Socialists) defeated Indira Gandhi in the general election held in 1977 after imposition of internal emergency by Mrs. Gandhi in 1975.
Mr. Vajpayee became Minister of Foreign Affairs in Morarji Desai Cabinet. When Janata Party government collapsed owing to the question of ‘Dual membership’ of Jan Sangh leaders, Mr. Vajpayee along with Lal Krishna Advani, formed a new party called Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) in 1980. Vajpayee became the founding president and continued on the post till 1986.
Amidst Controversial Times
1980s can be very much described as a decade which set the tune for the political atmosphere in the coming decades. Un-locking of the Babri Mosque, Shahbano judgment and legislation in this regard, greater assertion of OBCs and acceptance of Mandal declaration by then V. P. Singh government to give 27% reservation for OBCs in government jobs created ideal grounds for Hindutva forces to go for the Kamandal politics in the country.
Ram Janm Bhoomi andolan by Sangh Parivar and the BJP were the personifications of their earlier agenda which culminated in the destruction of Babri Mosque and large scale communal clashes across the country. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was part of all these developments. No doubt, BJP got immensely from these developments. In the general election held in 1996, for the first time in Indian electoral history, BJP replaced Congress as single largest party. Being invited by the President, Atal Bihari Vajpayee formed a minority government which lasted for only 13 days.
Adjusting Political Goals
It was after the debacle that Mr. Vajpayee realized that hard-core hindutva politics is not enough to garner a working majority in the Lok Sabha. There onwards, Mr. Vajpayee and Advani duo worked out a formula of one representing the secular face of hindutva and the other one its hard-core face. That equation paid off when with the help of regional parties Vajpayee sworn in as PM for the second time in 1998. The second stint of Mr. Vajpayee lasted for 13 months before Jayalalitha led AIDMK pulled out of the government. The political churning after Kargil Vijay and a fine balance with so many regional parties, Vajpayee’s National Democratic Alliance won 1999’s general election with an absolute majority. Till 2004 general election when NDA led by Mr. Vajpayee was ‘unexpectedly’ defeated, Atal Bihari Vajpayee became first non-congress PM to complete his five years term.
Many Credits, Many Critics
How to evaluate Mr. Vajpayee’s six years term as Prime Minister of the largest democracy in the world? There are many credits yet so many failures. He provided stability in a time when coalition era was at its pick and short term governments and untimely elections were becoming a norm, charging hefty money on taxpayers.
Managing 23 political parties in a government is a daunting task. Vajpayee government especially in its third tenure paid attention towards the pathetic condition of road network in the country. Construction of national highways along with Golden Quadrilateral expressway and the project to link rural roads to state and national highways through Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna, is a task for which Vajpayee government will be remembered always.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee is also credited for India’s second nuclear explosion at Pokharan in Rajasthan. Although critics doubt it as a success because it provoked and gave space to Pakistan to have its own nuclear arsenals. But, the way Mr. Vajpayee managed international sanction after explosion is noteworthy. Vajpayee led government won Kargil war against infiltrators from Pakistan but many people question the intelligence failure because India could not detect the advance march of Pakistani infiltrators in Indian Territory. The Kargil war was won, not on a foreign territory but a territory of our own!
Among the major drawbacks of Vajpayee administration is his government’s constant effort to withdraw from social services aimed to help people in the last of the developmental queue. Mr. Vajpayee was first Prime Minister to establish a separate ministry to dis-invest government undertakings (public property). He scrapped pension scheme to all central government employees. For the first time in Independent India’s history, a commission was formed to review the constitution.
Although its recommendations were never accepted. He remained a mute spectator when the Babri mosque was demolished. He was Prime Minister of the country when Gujarat pogrom of 2002 happened. Now, Vajpayee era is gone but the party he established by facing so many difficulties, is ruling the country. How was the Vajpayee era different? The first and foremost thing is that in Vajpayee’s time, it was the government that was dominating the organization (RSS) because there was no one in the Sangh Parivar to match his stature in the organization. Although as a moderate hindutvavadi, Vajpayee was not only a leader of the BJP but also of the RSS.
Vajpayee started from a pure hindutva background but he adapted according to political needs and commands. His respect for opposition and political institutions was great.That’s the reason today he is being remembered and condoled by a wide political spectrum from both the isles.
A great orator, seasoned politician, a person who respected and cherished the dignity of political institutions, and above all a great patriot has left us…Atal ji has died but long live his legacy.
