He was out of public sight for nearly a decade, yet the entire political class, cutting across party lines, stood in solidarity with him as he fought a losing battle for his life – that was the influence Atal Bihari Vajpayee had, on friends and opponents alike. It wouldn’t be wrong to describe him as the last among Indian politicians who were universally respected. Atal ji, as he was fondly called, was a unique personality. He was a staunch nationalist, a true swayamsevak of the RSS and yet rose to the stature of a global statesman. His majestic command over the Hindi language enabled him disarm his opponents with un-matching wit and made the nation fall in love with his oration. Above all, he was a true torch bearer of the highest standards of Indian democracy. This was possible because Atal ji had seen India before Independence. He himself had participated in the Quit India Movement and therefore, he knew the price at which we gained Independence. He understood the importan...
A collection of personal views on contemporary issues