Was Atal Bihari Vajpayee really a ‘legend’ in India politics?

Former three-times Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, undoubtedly, was one of the finest politicians in the country, who came the closest to the idea of ‘ideal politics’. And there were plenty of things that attributed to his success, be it with his own party-men or the oppositions, or literally nearly everyone he ever came across.

However, Death changes our perspective! We get overwhelmed...I am surprised, not even a single media house mentioned his slightest darker side! when talking about his individuality and the ideas, he was just as much of a legend as Rajiv Gandhi. We’re in a bad habit of being humbled down in death, letting go the wrongs in humility, and closely clinging to just the goods. And unsurprisingly, we’re following the same pattern even with late Atal Bihari Vajpayee. (Just like we did we the likes of Jayalalitha and Bala Saheb Thackeray!) By no means I am saying that he wasn't a great leader; am just bringing out gray areas of his personality which get overshadowed.

Away from the thoughts of his mortal remains, let’s, for few moments, not let go of the fact that Mister Vajpayee is the same individual who, next to our current PM Narendra Modi, took the dreadful ideologue (that itself was inspired by the likes of Adolf *****) of Golwalkar-Sarvarkar to its peak. When living, and even in his dead, he remains the staunchest Sangh Supporter, whose past and present drips of blood.

In the aftermath of 2002 Gujarat Riot, in a BJP national executive meeting in Goa, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in his unparalleled oratory persona that ideally embraced emotions, was the same individual who, indirectly, justified the killings of thousands of Muslims in Gujarat, terming it as a repercussion to the Sabarmati Express torching.

“What happened in Gujarat? If a conspiracy had not been hatched to burn alive the innocent passengers of the Sabarmati Express, then the subsequent tragedy in Gujarat could have been averted. But this did not happen. People were torched alive. Who were those culprits? The government is investigating into this. Intelligence agencies are collecting all the information. But we should not forget how the tragedy of Gujarat started. The subsequent developments were no doubt condemnable, but who lit the fire? How did the fire spread?” – Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee said.

(Quote is taken from Dailyhunt)

A statement like this, coming from a Prime Minister under whose reign one of the biggest riots in Independent India took place, it sure looks disheartening and frightening. Instead of taking a stand and filing for his role as a leader of the country (that the country chose), he decided to hold tight his heinous ideologues.

Atal Bihar Vajpayee, on the personal level, was just another stooge of an organization and, since the beginning, has been striving to choke democracy and supersede totalitarianism. Mr Vajpayee carried the same agenda. And with a personality that appealing, he took this agenda to new heights, eventually becoming the face for RSS.

That being said though, on the political front, there’s absolutely no denying the Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a legend in his own terms, now sitting at the top of the castle that others can only dream to match. He was charismatic with impeccable oratory skill. He was a true statesman. He was passionate about certain issues. He was a poster boy of the ‘Ideal Politics’ that even the oppositions can’t help but go head-over-heels.

It was his overall personality that attributes to his political success, even when he spent over 40 years in the opposition bench. His personality attracted the entire nation and nurtured new hopes of development. It is for this reason, the entire political class that of today, irrespective of the parties they belong, is mourning the loss of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He touched millions of lives. He inspired thousands of politicians. And indisputably he’s the most respected Indian politician of all time that, in his small-wide figure, humble smile and flawless wit, managed to hide his core individuality—as majority of humans usually do.

Regardless who he was and what he did, he impacted so many lives. May his soul rest in peace!