Receiving the Best Parliamentarian Award
Excerpts from the tributes by eminent persons
included in the Felicitation Volume
CHANDRA SHEKHAR—A Long Journey
released on the occasion of his
75th Birth Anniversary
Chandra Shekhar is truly one of the most unique personalities of our time. He has not only left a deep impression on each one of his friends and associates, but also on almost every memorable event of national history of our times. He is a man of high intellectual and political integrity who never flinched from asserting his conviction. At the same time, a true democrat at heart, he realized the value of healthy accommodation of the other points of view and arriving at acceptable compromises. He was never afraid of speaking out his mind but few have heard him say a harsh word. His soft dulcet voice and gentle tone tell us all that we need to know to make up our mind about the man. But beneath the smooth veneer of politeness, there is a strong will and firm faith in the cause he stands for.
I particularly remember the night of May 21, 1991 when multitudinous problems had to be solved following the tragic assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. Chandra Shekhar came from the airport directly to the Rashtrapati Bhavan at 2 AM where top officials were already holding consultations with me. Memories of 1984 riots, possible threats from unfriendly neighbours, continuance of elections as scheduled and the reinforcement of security forces for the purpose and a host of problems faced him. Suffice it to say that he managed every one of them with complete confidence and command. During the short period Chandra Shekhar held the reins of office as Prime Minister, he displayed fine qualities of objectivity, sobriety, willingness to listen to criticism and dignity in conducting the affairs of the high office.
A many splendoured personality, Shri Chandra Shekhar’s life is replete with activities which have had a determining influence on our national affairs. A staunch fighter and defender of freedom and democracy, he has had a glorious tradition of becoming a nucleus for protest and change for social reconstruction and upliftment of the downtrodden sections of our society. This is evident from his eventful career which encapsulates in its scope the image of Shri Chandra Shekhar as a radical member and leader of the Praja Socialist Party, an angry young man and the young turk of the Congress, the Prime Minister of India and an admirable leader of the people incessantly exerting for the cause of the suffering millions who remain the main spring and source of his socialism. An outstanding parliamentarian and prominent public figure, Shri Chandra Shekhar has always remained in the forefront to espouse the cause of the ordinary men and women of our country.
His famous Padayatra from Kanyakumari to Rajghat during 1983 to establish rapport with the masses and understand their problems will remain a landmark event in the history of our country for awakening people’s consciousness for their rights and duties. Continuing his life’s mission for the welfare of ordinary people, he has remained articulate and expressive on issues confronted by them and emerged as a mass leader of eminence. His commitment and sincerity of purpose for safeguarding our secularism and pluralistic ethos have been amply demonstrated by his numerous actions and pronouncements in Parliament and public fora. At a time when our tolerant ethos and harmony among our people have come under severe strain, we need the leaders of Shri Chandra Shekahr’s stature to remain in the vanguard of people’s movement for unity, amity and understanding so that reconciliation, social cohesion and solidarity remained at the root of our civilized existence. He will remain an inspiration for the future generations who will ever cherish and remember his important contributions to the public life.
I knew him as a Congressman who, uncharacteristically, could speak out his mind candidly even when a bit of mincing would perhaps have been expedient. I knew him also as a leader with passion and compassion combined. I failed to see any guile in him and believe that it wasn’t because he could hide it. After he left the Congress (or the Congress left him) I never felt he was out of it, ever. I still take him as a compulsive Congressman. Whatever his view, I believe this is the best compliment I could pay him.
Above all, I think he has stuck to his view steadfastly through thick and thin. Not many have managed to do that. That is why Chandra Shekharji finds himself alone, upright and unbending. That is why he did not quite succeed in retaining positions for long, except in the people’s estimation. I vividly remember that fateful day in the first week of March 1991, when he literally threw his Prime Ministership away, almost on impulse, without so much as giving any of us even the barest chance to intervene, which would have almost turned the destiny of the nation decisively.
Shri Chandrashekarji loves the country and the people. His concern has been to effect changes quickly so that suffering poor and downtrodden people will live a better life with dignity and self-respect. He has never compromised his self-respect or the country’s at any time. His tenure, though a short one, as Prime Minister of the country is a telling example.
Honoured with the Best Parliamentarian Award, Chandrashekharji continues to be a significant presence in the Lok Sabha. He possesses tremendous courage of his convictions, and is always prepared to take a stand on national and international issues even though they may not be ‘popular’. His commitment to bringing about a more egalitarian social and economic system in the country is well-known.
Essentially a parliamentarian throughout his career, he neither aspired nor accepted any position and always remained a man of the masses. In this respect, he became a rare phenomena unto himself. By virtue of possessing rare qualities of head and heart, he endeared himself with friends and opponents alike. He is one of the longest serving parliamentarians who has the distinction of serving both the Houses of Parliament making substantial contributions in enriching the proceedings of Parliament. With his forceful oratorical skill and deft understanding of the problems facing the country, he always focussed on important national and international issues during the debates while maintaining healthy parliamentary conventions. His passion for principles, faith in democratic norms and values and innate respect for Parliament made him one of our outstanding parliamentarians.
It is never easy to find an adequate description for someone so versatile, so multifaceted as Chandra Shekhar. Words are too limiting for fully capturing the essence of his personality.
Power, for Chandra Shekhar has been a tool, not a summum - bonum. A colleague once remarked that power was no more important to Chandra Shekhar than the thread in his footwear. When he became Prime Minister, Chandra Shekhar was as nonchalant as he was disdainful when he gave it all up. He is a visible confirmation that relevance in politics is not a function of the position one holds, but of how close one remains to one's credo, in thought and in action.
Shri Chandra Shekhar is indeed a leader who cannot be categorised in a conventional manner, unlike many other public figures who tend to be associated with one philosophy or one 'ism' or the other. His individualism and distinctiveness are his strengths just as his multi-faceted personality and no-nonsense ways of reacting to events are admired. Despite his unorthodox approach to politics, he continues to be one of the tallest leaders in Indian public life because the people at large look up to him to provide a cogent and balanced view on important public issues.
Another aspect of Chandra Shekhar which is admirable and endears him to the people is the down-to-earth and realistic approach that he possesses. Pompousness, abstractions and pretensions are totally absent in his mindset; for him, what matters most is the resolution of problems and issues that confront the nation and its people. This is because he has his roots firmly in the soil of India and can intimately relate to the poor and down trodden sections of the society. This realism, as well as an abundance of intellectual integrity, gives him courage to swim against the tide. He does not hesitate to articulate his views, however radical they may be, if he is convinced that it is in the public interest to do so and if it enhances the quality of public life of the nation.
Chandra Shekharji is a great parliamentarian and is known as an eloquent speaker. As a true humanist he loves to advocate the cause of the common people, more particularly the disadvantaged ones.
In matters of keeping relationships, there are not many who can equal him, whether he is attending a family wedding or visiting someone, who is very ill or hospitalised.
We did not always agree on the economic and political policies. That, however, could not take away from him giving of affection and respect not only to me but whoever may have a different opinion. A man of strength, conviction and dedication, Chandra Shekharji is an asset to the country.
It falls to the lot of some, not many, whose life saga and history of an era get inter-woven. And those few like Chandra Shekhar, do not let the sweep of events overwhelm them. They courageously overturn the surge for the greater good of the community.
On several occasions his interventions made the policy makers shift their gears. In every circumstance he stood up courageously and got counted -- an essential quality of a leader!
I shared his padayatra experiences in brief parts of the journey. The songs and slogans of his fellow Padayatris had a ring of social reality asking for change that required intimate knowledge of the Indian masses and their sad fates in the liberated India. While walking he told me that he was distressed to see that after half a century of the Republic the tribals of our land were drinking filthy pond water full of diseases and worms. It was sad and embarrassing though this reality has not changed even now.
Chandra Shekharji is one of those few Indian leaders who make us feel nostalgic about the previous generation of leaders, completely dedicated to the ideals of freedom, equality, justice and fraternity. For me, Chandra Shekharji is like a family member, a brother, a friend, a humanist and above all a man of principles. I have had a very long and close association with him and I have very high respect for him.
Even if his house in his village home was no ‘LOG CABIN’ and he is no ‘ABRAHAM LINCON’, his journey from Ibrahimpatti to 7, Race Course Road in New Delhi is no less remarkable.
His record as Prime Minister for four months was marked, not by procrastination and inaction, but decisions taken quickly. Officers, reportedly, talked of his ability to instantly opt for one out of, say, three alternatives offered to him by his Secretaries.
His marathon March from Kanyakumari to Rajghat in New Delhi was not a mere endurance test. It had created a stir and roused expectations, the like of which had not been witnessed for a long time. He had emerged as a virtual Saint and Messiah of the ordinary people. What could he not have achieved by channelising the ferment in the right direction?
I always admire the ability of Chandra Shekhar to express his frank views even at the cost of popularity to serve the interest of the country and democracy. Chandra Shekhar is not an individual but an Institution by himself. He is not only a fighter but a determined crusader. His Padayatra from southern end to Delhi and the affection bestowed by the people on Chandra Shekhar was perhaps the most glorious chapter in his life. In Chandra Shekhar I always see a person of great courage and unflinching conviction.
May as it be, our emphasis on politics of commitment and democratic socialism was mainly responsible for the change and we are always remembered as pioneers of the change. It may be revealing for many that the stray thoughts expressed by Smt. Gandhi and widely published were from a small note which we had distributed earlier. In the new working committee of the Party, Chandra Shekhar became a member of the Working Committee and ably represented our views.
It was in 1962 when I first met Chandra Shekhar after his intervention in Rajya Sabha supporting the private Member Bill seeking nationalisation of private commercial banks ... He made a logical presentation in support of the Bill. I was impressed and I requested Raghunatha Reddy to introduce me to him. We met in the first floor restaurant of the Parliament building. Long discussions on various policy issues followed. This was the beginning of my long personal association. It was the common interest and attitude on economic policies that held us together all these years.
Chandra Shekhar, though a late entrant to the Congress Party, was elected to the office of General Secretary of the Congress Party in Parliament. He took an unusual step to introduce policy content in discussions at the level of Party in Parliament. It was a new practice. He asked me if I could update my earlier study and prepare a comprehensive report on the subject of private commercial banks. The report, which was later printed, and widely circulated, was released at a Press Conference. The study recommended nationalisation of private commercial banks to enable better-planned developments and to meet the obligatory provisions as enshrined in the Directive Principles of State Policy in India’s constitution.
Those who were politically sensitive and were not directly involved in power politics canvassed for placing a ban on donations to political parties by private companies. At the face of it, very few could oppose such a demand. The Young Turks were quick to give loud support to the proposed ban. … While pleading for a ban on donations to political parties, I had written a long article bringing out the conceptual weakness of the proposal. I held a view that for healthy operation of the democratic party system, election expenses have to be funded by the State and these have to be kept low for the individual aspirants. … Chandra Shekhar and other Young Turks gave full support to K.V. Raghunatha Reddy and Bed Brat Barua who had officially sponsored the move to put a ban on company donations to political parties.
In February 1969, AICC met at Faridabad. Nijalingappa was the Party President. In his address, he criticized the Young Turks and indirectly attacked Indira Gandhi. The Congress Forum for Socialist Action, an informal group within the Congress Party held its convention along with the AICC meet. Chandra Shekhar was then the Chairman of the Forum. In his Presidential address, he spelt out a national programme for economic reforms. Chandra Shekhar had worked hard on the text of his address. Most of the drafting was done at late nights in my office at the IIPA. Chandra Shekhar’s presidential address drew considerable interest as it presented an overall perspective in total contrast to what Nijalingappa had expressed as chief of the Congress Party. Informally, the Prime Minister conveyed her preference for the views held by Chandra Shekhar.
It was for the fear of repeat performance by Nijalingappa that it was decided by the Young Turks and the left in the Congress to put forth a concrete package of alternative economic policies. … I did a hasty job and Chandra Shekhar was very critical of my draft … To our surprise, my note was approved in general. … he and I were authorized to finalise the draft note for Bangalore meet of the AICC. The note was sent to Indira Gandhi under the names of Chandra Shekhar, Mohan Dharia, Krishan Kant, R.K. Sinha and Chandrajit Yadav.
On July 19, 1969, Mohan Kumaramangalam rang up my home at lunchtime and asked me to rush to the ILPIC’s office. His request was to close all doors and take no phone calls. I must sit down and pen down a brief note giving reasons for nationalisation of private commercial banks. … He returned and took the note with the very firm warning that we should go underground and not speak a word of it to anyone. At 5.30 pm, the news flash conveyed that all that had been recommended in the note had been approved by the Cabinet. A new chapter in the economic policy of India had been opened.
The Delhi AICC soon after the nationalisation constituted a panel on Economic Policy on the lines of the Economic Programme Committee of 1939. The panel membership was large and practically a who-is-who of the Congress (R). The Chairman was K.D. Malaviya with Chandra Shekhar as the convenor. … it was informally agreed that the secretariat of the Economic Policy Panel should be shifted to the Indian Institute of Public Administration, and Chandra Shekhar and me should draft policy proposals. …It was quite common to have radical surgery of the drafts. Chandra Shekhar always sharpened the drafts. His editorial talents have always been remarkable. I recall many a wintry night when Chandra Shekhar spread the cushions on the bare floor and had short naps while I struggled on another policy section of the panel report or a representation. K.D. Malaviya at the Bombay Session presented the Panel report in December 1969. It was adopted unanimously.
Chandra Shekhar, one day came over to IIPA and said that two young enthusiasts from Kerala have suggested him to undertake Padayatra. I remember having made a similar proposal earlier. … To start with, a short brochure India -- Our India was prepared. …Anil Nauria, Kamal Mitra Chenoy and other colleagues helped finalisation of the publication. The India -- Our India was translated into some other languages. It was a pamphlet for distribution during the Padayatra.
I was not able to join Bharat Yatra on the day it started from Kanyakumari. Soon after, however, he asked if there could be a short note on ‘Why Padayatra?’. We had shared thoughts on the subject many a time. Chandra Shekhar had no time to write down his ideas in one place as he was already on Padayatra. The rationale of the Yatra was explained in the short note ‘Why Padayatra?’ which was translated in different Indian languages.
During the ‘eighties Indian economic policies were fast losing their national character and international institutions started exerting pressure for suspension of planning process and withdrawal of various regulatory mechanisms. The climax was reached when Ajit Singh, the then Minister for Industrial Development, announced a new industrial policy withdrawing restrictions on foreign private capital and Indian monopoly houses. Chandra Shekhar expressed opposition to the policies. A large amount of data was compiled and evidence assembled and presented at a very widely attended press conference in Delhi.
In 1991, the Congress Government adopted what has been described as Structural Adjustment Programme. This is nothing but a version of the Washington Consensus. The regulatory mechanism constructed to give a direction to new investments, was abolished; MRTPA and FERA were diluted. All these policies and actions are aimed to liquidate the planning exercises and take the country back to the days of the market oriented economy. Chandra Shekhar has shared these views with many of us. He has launched a campaign opposing the influences of multilateral bodies.
The information collected (earlier) was later published as ‘Political Economy of India’ (in 1992).
I respected the constraints and compulsion under which he had to function. I got busy in organising the new research centre, Institute for Studies in Industrial Development (ISID). Moonis Raza was the founder Chairman. After his tenure, Chandra Shekhar accepted my invitation and took the responsibility to provide the much needed guidance and patronage to the ISID. For the ISID the nineties has been a trying period. Chandra Shekhar, however, continues to give full support. I am confident he would continue to help establish the ISID as a centre of excellence on economic policies.
As a prominent leader of the P.S.P., Chandra Shekharji was one of our young heroes. I continued to follow his brilliant political career and cherished him as an outstanding national leader. However, I had to wait till 1989 to get acquainted with him personally. On a few occasions that I met him after that in my official capacity, I found him invariably kind, courteous and affectionate. Then came the great opportunity of my serving as the Foreign Secretary of the Government of India of which he became the Prime Minister. I was overwhelmed by the trust he reposed in me. I also discovered in no time his extraordinary abilities as an administrator. Seeing him functioning as a truly gifted administrator, it was really difficult to believe that he had come to the government with hardly any experience in governance.
He never dithered on an issue nor postponed decision on it in the belief that time is the best healer. He faced every issue headlong as and when it was brought to him and took a clear cut position then and there. At times, one could get an important decision from him in a chance meeting or while walking along with him for a few yards in the corridor of the South Block.
His ability to take quick and sound decisions was largely because of his extraordinary capacity to grasp even the most complicated issues in no time and partly also because of the trust he reposed in the persons who worked for him.
Chandra Shekhar is a unique personality of the post Nehru phase. With an unshakable faith in the political philosophy of democratic socialism, he has never wavered in expression of his views on public issues. Pleasing or displeasing some big shot in politics has never come in his way of saying in public what he thinks is the correct approach in a given situation. It has not affected his writings or actions if that served the cause. Even today, though cut off from the mainstream of party politics, his views on current issues concerning the nation portrait objective analysis followed by the well-framed policy approach. They find place frequently in "Young Indian", which, he has been editing and publishing for a long time.
He is a good judge of the people around him. He may not agree with their views and actions, still he is tolerant. He will utilize their abilities, take their help, in the work that he is doing. He has the knack/tact of getting the work done through the people who do not agree with him, politically or otherwise. This is probably because the other person's differences or even opposition to him does not create any bitterness or animosity in him. This is his nobility, the magnanimity which may be described by some as astuteness. But the fact survives. He is not prejudiced due to differing views or even hostile behaviour. He is probably the only person in the present political world who is respected even by those who do not agree with him or oppose him. This is precisely why he is heard seriously when he speaks on the floor of the parliament though listeners may or may not agree with his views. His sincerity of purpose is evident.
Chandra Shekhar is a very eminent personality in our national political life. And not just because he had once been a Prime Minister. That was only for a period of 4 months, till his government was brought down by the Congress on a bogus plea. But he had shot up to prominence long before that.
We had come to know him as a 'Young Turk', - a vocal and radical voice inside the ruling Congress. He could stand up and spell out his views, inside and outside the Parliament, even if that was not very palatable to the leaders that be. He was no sycophant trying to suck up to the boss.
One hopes that Chandra Shekharji will play a positive role in the present critical phase of our country's life when it is threatened with communalism, casteism, and even the danger of a fascistic rule, which endanger its national unity and integrity, its path of self reliant development based on economic sovereignty.
If politicians are performers and all politics is theatre, Chandra Shekhar is a method actor who would have made that great acting master Lee Strasberg more than proud. He was ordained by history to play a role, but he had imbued the character with his unique personality and every public posture had its roots in a past that had seen enough adversity and struggle. The naivet‚ of early post independence socialism, its innocent hopefulness, its incredulous belief that we humans are all innately capable of great generosity towards each other and its belief that all social and economic problems have public policy solutions came through in every speech and every political act. There was nothing fake in this. The sheer honesty of it all showed so clearly. Nothing about him was ever contrived. Thus when he spoke we hung on to every word, when he moved we moved with him. It was as if the stage and audience moved with him never wanting to miss a single performance.
He is such a person with whom hearts would commune even though heads might differ.
Shri Chandra Shekhar is gifted with a rare quality that enables him to study and analyse national events in its right perspective.
Shri Chandra Shekhar has the unusual knack of raising national issues at the right moment. He has acquired the status of national leader in his own right. I have no doubt in my mind, he would continue to pursue his goal of achieving an egalitarian society which has been his life's mission so far.
Shri Chandra Shekhar is a man of vision who has interest of the nation uppermost in his mind. He is moved by the plight of the poor and the downtrodden in the society.
His achievements as Prime Minister, though for a very short period, are remarkable. The officers who worked with him still remember his foresightedness and qualities of quick decisions and determination.
He showed exemplary courage in criticising Operation Blue Star in June 1984 when troops of the army marched into the Golden Temple. He described it as ‘unfortunate’. Even within the party’s leadership, there was opposition to that line. However, Madhu Dandavate, George Fernandes and I held the same opinion and the National Executive endorsed it. After the anti-Sikh pogrom started in the wake of Mrs. Gandhi’s assassination, he, along with Fernandes, Swami Agnivesh, Kishore Lal and few of us toured the affected areas, without fear of any kind. Without doubt, opposition to operation blue star occasioned his election defeat. He also never hesitated in enabling Syed Shahabuddin to put forward his point of view for he was conscious that the voices of religious minorities must be heard and taken care of. In 1987, the Yuva Janata, under Sudhindra Bhadauria’s leadership and Chandra Shekhar’s inspiration, led a propagation yatra for conciliation from Amirtsar to New Delhi.
After the whole package of so-called economic reforms of structural adjustments launched in 1991 started to unfold gradually, Chandra Shekhar consistently opposed it, an opposition with which he has been identified for a whole decade. Last year he went on a Bharat Yatra again in opposition to the economic policies of the present government. With his clarity of thought, power of analysis and skill of exposition he has opposed these policies more fully than anybody else. It is true that he has the support of the distinguished economist Professor S.K. Goyal and has never hesitated from seeking advice from others as well. Yet, it is his inimitable style of persuasion and argument which has helped the opposition against these policies to solidify.
Just a few months after Chandra Shekhar had become Prime Minister of India, a British newspaper described him as India's best Prime Minister after Jawaharlal Nehru. The comment proved to be a little premature, as Chandra Shekhar's tenure lasted for less than a year. The observation, however, did contain more than a little truth.
Like Jawaharlal Nehru, Chandra Shekhar as Prime Minister was basically an apolitical being, in the sense that he tended to analyze issues in terms of larger national interests, rather than on narrow party considerations. Like Nehru, he knew and understood the mood of the country, and was able to accurately feel the pulse of its people. When he came into office, the country was in a state of great agitation over the Mandalization issue, which had in fact led to the downfall of the V.P. Singh government. We have perhaps forgotten just how high tempers were; and the horrors of the student self-immolations over this issue. Pouring oil on this troubled water was not an easy task, and it is a measure of Chandra Shekhar's stature that he was able to do so. The situation was quickly brought under control and normalcy returned. It is surprising that he has been given so little credit for this substantial achievement.
Alone he might be, but his views still count. On many critical points, his brief but timely interventions in the Lok Sabha, heard in spell-bound silence, have made an impact on the course of events. His has been the voice of reason and compassion, imbued with all the virtues of our Freedom Movement and the principles underlying our Constitution. No other contemporary politician represents the Nehruvian framework of politics and constitutionalism as Chandra Shekharji does.
Chandra Shekharji's style of politics has a certain rustic quality which, given his sharp intelligence and wide knowledge of national affairs, immediately goes to the heart of the problem. That is why, during his brief tenure as Prime Minister, though he had no administrative experience, he earned the admiration of the higher bureaucracy who came in contact with him. I was told that once they had explained the various options available on a given situation, Chandra Shekharji did not take more than a minute to give his decision. Sometimes he would cut them short by giving them exact directions for action.
Over the years, I have seen Chandra Shekharji at different periods of his roller-coaster type of life, dark depths and dazzling heights -- when defeat at the hustings made everything bleak and gloomy, the short months that he was the Prime Minister of India, those days when he was an MP and I the Governor of the State from which he had been elected. At all times his humility, determination, and unwavering adherence to principles and policies placed him in a capsule of his own. There have been many times when compromises could have served him well. He has not taken those options. These are his qualities and characteristics that make him different from the type of politicians we see today.
Such is the man's stature. Very often his is the only voice of sanity, amidst the din and deafening noise raised in the parliament. Members who stand divided by parties, by languages, by faiths, and by political expediency, are all one, in their respect shown to his counsel. And he commands this regard for his word, in spite of the fact that he is almost a loner. He is not leading a big political party, nor is he in the running for any office. Then what is the secret of the esteem that he evokes, in all shades of political opinion? It is the eminence he has achieved by his unwavering impartiality, astounding dedication to public life, sharp perception of the affairs of the nation and unquestionable patriotism.
A lesser man might not have got away with such decisive actions, in highly sensitive areas. But with transparent honesty as his asset, he was able to do in seven months, what may others would not be capable of doing in seven years. The Ayodhya issue is a classic example. He is the only Prime Minister who was able to bring the representatives of the two contesting communities to the negotiating table, to arrive at a settlement. The short tenure of his government resulted in this ending up as an unfinished task. But his contribution is all the more impressive, when one considers the unfortunate fact that no one who succeeded him as the Prime Minister, was able to ensure the continuation of the talks initiated by him.
Chandra Shekhar, a product of that history, is a typical Balliatik, an honest and simple man who does not mince words and whose intolerance for nonsense is not easily moderated by urbane niceties. He is a born rebel. As early as in early sixties when he perceived that Congress was failing in ‘establishing a social, political and economic order where man would not exploit man’, Chandra Shekhar revolted and established Congress for Socialist Action (Young Turks, 1963). He made representations to Prime Minister and Finance Minister in April 1967 on financial irregularities, tax evasion and malpractices in the Private Corporate Sector, involving such important industrialists as Birlas among others. During the events leading to 1969 split of the Congress, Chandra Shekhar sided with Mrs. Gandhi in the belief that in order to achieve the socialist aims the only possibility was to build a socialist movement within the Congress which would compel it to adopt more progressive policies. When he was disillusioned here as well, he raised the revolt within the party.
India is a large country with a huge mass of people still dependent on peasant farming and informal sector activities for eking out a living. How will the process of globalisation affect such a large mass of people, how will they re-adjust without being devastated in the process, will the much talked about information technology and service sector development take care of all the problems of unemployment and poverty are some of the questions which need to be paid urgent attention at the political level. There is hardly a political debate on these issues. Economic strength of the nation is important even from national security point of view.
Chandra Shekhar would rather address these questions than raise the issues which divide and weaken us. Chandra Shekhar stands for healthy traditions and customs in Parliamentary system. He has innate sense of fair play in politics and loyalty to friends. He is an optimist. He believes that the nation would inevitably turn on to a healthier path of political and economic development, but regrettably we would have lost some precious time.
To say that Chandra Shekhar has been one of the political titans of India in the post Independence period would only be an understatement. His steadfast commitment to socialist and secular ideology has at various junctures shaped the destiny of our nation.
Future generations in India would always remember with eternal gratitude the contributions made by Chandra Shekhar to develop and mould the Indian polity which could propel India to modernity and development. His empathy for the weak and downtrodden would act as a beacon of guidance in the future to build a strong, socialist and secular India.
To sum up, my few words about Chandra Shekharji, I feel quoting the following lines of the philosophical American poet Longfellow :
" The pages of thy book as I read,
And as I closed each one,
My heart responding ever said,
Servant of God, well done ! "
From the Ibrahimpatti village in Ballia district of U.P. to the capital of India in Delhi, it is a long distance especially when there is no rail connection. Shri Chandra Shekhar who was born in that small village, no distance was longer. How can it be for a person who was destined to travel the entire country from Kanyakumari on foot walking the distance and meeting the people and listening to their grievances?
When the late Hon'ble Morarjibhai was the Finance Minister, Shri Chandra Shekharji brought to light the tax evasion of a well-known industrial concern and the name of a known bureaucrat associated with it. During a debate on the issue in the Rajya Sabha, Shri Chandra Shekharji, was lying as a patient in the Willington (now R.M.L.) Hospital but entered the Rajya Sabha for two hours and completed his sharp speech quoting a Sanskrit verse from Bhartrahari's Nitishataka, causing a piercing impact for the highly disciplined Finance Minister.
"...May there be praise or censure, wealth or no wealth, end today or after an age, the sincere and courageous people will never go a step away from the path of righteousness."
After getting a positive response from the Rajya Sabha, he perhaps went back to the hospital as a patient. Medical experts may not have been able to make a politico-medical psychoanalysis of the patient.
Chandra Shekhar is of course no angel. He is human and has his share of minus points. But courage, conviction, and decisiveness in face of uncertainty are rare qualities which swamp out his minuses. Most of all, he is genuinely large-hearted and caring of friends, even if they are not grateful to him later. Because of his character assets, I think Chandra Shekhar should be Prime Minister again. Even if he does not aspire for it today, the nation needs it at this hour of confusion, cowardice and chaos.
A multi-faceted personality, an eloquent orator, an outstanding parliamentarian, a thinker and writer and a friend of friends with a human touch reverently addressed as Adhyakshji by all
He has clear perception of political matters. He is always outspoken, forthright and frank often to the extent of being misunderstood. He went against the trend in the country and criticized Operation Blue Star in 1984. People say that he had to pay a heavy price for this view, which resulted into his defeat in 1984 to the Lok Sabha election from Ballia. Referring to this, replying to a motion of confidence in favour of his council of Ministers, he as Prime Minister on 16th November 1990 said in the Lok Sabha that, "on Blue Star Operation when some pressmen asked me, I just said, I still remember that sentence". It is unfortunate that we had to send the army to the Golden Temple and better withdraw it soon. This is what I said. There was a comment all over the country. Editorials were written against me. Political leaders came down on me heavily and not only Rajiv who subsequently became Prime Minister but even the leaders of my own party condemned me."
He went on to say, "The former Prime Minister whom I supported for eleven months went to Ballia in 1984 elections and said. Why is this gentleman contesting election from here? He is a Bhindranwale of Ballia. He should go and contest election in Punjab."
Chandra Shekharji while speaking on the motion of no-confidence on December 17, 1992 against the Council of Ministers headed by Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao after the demolition of Babri Masjid-Ram Janam Bhoomi structure on December 6, 1992, said thus, "It was not the Masjid that was demolished. In fact it were the India's glorious traditions, India's history, India's tolerance and India's humanistic traditions that were thrown to the winds. Today the hearts of crores of people have been broken which can not be repaired. The faith of 15 crore Indian people has shattered. These 15 crore Indian Muslims did not come from Arab Country or other foreign countries. They are our brothers. Would the Government suppress them or throw and drown them into the Arabian Sea?
When it will be known to the world that a place of worship or whether it is not a place of worship has been pulled down in this country for political reasons, nobody in the world would appreciate you and rather the world would condemn it because our civilization and culture are a part of our glorious history which you have damaged". The former Young Turk and now An Angry Man - the secular socialist was in full form and at his best.
His Spartan ways, his straight forward dialogue with the people, uncompromising attitude towards the social policies, his fearless attack on multinationals and his unflinching exposition to save the sovereignty of the nation make him a man of integrated personality. His is the sober voice not only in the parliament but also all over the country. I do feel that like Loknayak Jaya Prakash he will have to lead a severe fight against unprecedented onslaught on the Indian sovereignty by the international financial capitalism. He is the beacon of hope who could be able to unite all the leftist forces to fight obnoxious communalism and ruthless capitalism. I hope and trust that the country would be behind him if he would rise to the occasion.
A good leader, a good man and a good friend: that summarises my impression of Shri Chandra Sekhar, an old friend. How time flies, the Young Turk of the other day is 75 - but still young and still a Turk.
Apart from the value that Chandra Shekharji gives to friendship, the quality that impresses me most is his straightforwardness. There is no distinction between word and action. Even if he would say unpleasant things on your face, you can never stop admiring his honesty.
Over the last thirty-odd years that I have known him, Chandra Shekhar has remained the same man of commitment, idealism, principles and integrity, qualities that surfaced when he played an important role in national politics as one of the Young Turks.
Equally pronounced is his concern for the environment and ecology as also the welfare of women and children. Since, I am myself involved in all these spheres of activities, I have often drawn inspiration from him. I have always found him to be pragmatic, dynamic and a man of action. However, one of his most admirable qualities has been his fearlessness in speaking his mind. In fact, it is these qualities that landed him in jail during the emergency. A man of principles, he fought this assault on democracy fiercely, along with other like minded people.
One aspect of his personality that I cherish most is his unstinted loyalty to his friends. I remember, with gratitude, the manner in which he stood by me, in the hospital for days and nights, as Rajni lay ill. He kept vigil with me and he was there to bid final farewell and carried Rajni’s coffin on his shoulders for his last journey.
Chandra Shekhar is a political phenomenon, a historical inevitability and the conscience-keeper of the Nation. Standing across the political arena like a Colossus for over 40 years, he has influenced men and events, in and out of power. The barefooted boy of dusty Ibrahimpatti village of Ballia district in UP was called from the country plough to save the country. True to ancient tradition, Shri Chandra Shekharji walked across the country (over 5,000 km.) to spread the message of change. His career reflects the entire political continuum; it reads like a brief biography of post-Independent India and its political development.
Chandra Shekharji combines in himself the vision of a statesman, the humanism of a leader, and the zeal of a reformer. When to this is added the perfectionism of a connoisseur, one gets a potent combination that gives to him a rare grasp and an insight into human affairs, which has never ceased to astonish those who know him well. Blessed with an eclectic mind, he is a gentleman-politician in the true sense of the term.
Chandra Shekharji is a man of the masses who measures the progress of the country by the condition of the poorest among the poor. He makes no pretence of being a great economist or political theorist but believes forcefully that however good and great a system or philosophy may be, until a regime of social justice is established and poverty abolished, nothing will work. Great empires did not fall because of the fiscal deficit or exchange crises but because of social injustice and exploitation of the poor and the weak.
He is a rebel, a fighter and a person with humane quality and compassion. It is for this reason that large number of youth who had been drawn in the JP movement, got attracted to him after JP’s demise. I was among the many hundreds of young workers who got inspired by his stand on nationalization of banks, abolition of privy purses, crusade against the monopolies and strengthening of democratic values in the party or reaffirming internal democracy.
Chandra Shekharji did his bit but the new generation has to come forward to carry this torch forward. Lastly these efforts of counter political culture are vanishing today. Mass mobilization through padayatra or collecting donation in the denomination of one or two rupees is a thing of the past. These deeds are very vital to democracy and can act as a harbinger of social change if we were to adopt them.
After the exit of Jawaharlal Nehru and Lal Bahadur Shastri, there was distinct distortion in the norms of public life. In the aggravating growth of personality cult and political feudalism, Chandra Shekhar brought fresh air to inspire the young activists in the party. Placing the interests of the country above those of the Party, he was consistently raising questions and issues in Parliament that might not have been agreeable to those in power in the House and in the Party organisation.
The political contribution of Chandra Shekhar during the pre-emergency period of 1974-75 was significant. When there were vituperative and wild attacks on JP, not only in verbal forms but with harsh lathis in the streets of Patna, Chandra Shekhar had the political will to warn the Congress leaders about the dangerous track they had chosen to defame and underestimate the surge of JP Movement. At that time, he was occupying high positions in the Congress Party, as Member of the Election Committee and the Working Committee. In his open declarations in favour of JP, he stood four square against the authoritative diktats of the Party and the Government. He was arrested under the MISA and came out with greater aura of a defiant leader. Rightly he was the unanimous choice as the President of the Janata Party.
Blessed with a mind sharp as razor 's edge he is unquestionably the most courageous and selfless Indian politician of the century. This son of the soil from Ballia had outshone even the legends of the like of Smt. Indira Gandhi. Not only did he make history by entering the Congress Working Committee against the wishes of the 'only man in the Government', he never allowed her to ride roughshod over him. He had to pay a very heavy price for living with his conviction. Only if Chandra Shekharji had ignored the dictates of his conscience and avoided fraternising with Jaya Praskashji on the eve of the emergency in 1975, when he was arrested and kept in solitary confinement for nineteen months, the history of Indian politics would have been different. Chandra Shekharji would have been the natural successor to Smt. Indira Gandhi as a Congress Prime Minister and the country would have been saved of the ignominy of non secular domination.
Shri Chandra Shekhar is a real saint in white cloth and a man of discipline. I remember an instance when everybody wanted him to replace Shri Morarjibhai as Prime Minister when a no confidence motion was moved against him. Shri Chandra Shekhar called each and every member of the party and asked them to vote against the motion and support Shri Morarjibhai. He was fully aware that they wanted him to be the Prime Minister in place of Shri Morarjibhai. In spite of this fact, he insisted that first of all every member should vote against the motion and defeat it. Only a saint can do it. He wanted to maintain party's prestige and discipline even sacrificing his own interest. He is such a selfless man.
Shri Chandra Shekhar has a great clarity of thought. Whenever he speaks either in a public meeting or in Parliament or in private, he is very very clear in his mind. He is never confused and puzzled. He speaks with loud and clear voice having great clarity in his thought. In my long public life I have seen very few leaders like Chandra Shekhar who have clarity in their thought. Whatever he speaks, he speaks with authority and from his heart and without any fear of being misunderstood by others. He always sticks to his point of view.
On the political horizon of our country, Shri Chandra Shekhar is a unique leader, a crusader for values, a man who maintains his own dignity, dignity of his party and leaders and a man having far-sightedness. I feel enriched by his close association and friendship.
Rising from an humble hut of a farmer's family in a rural village of India to the heights of becoming Prime Minister of the country is indeed a glorious voyage which Chandra Shekhar, a person with rare qualities of leadership and patriotism negotiated with great dignity and grace.
His contribution as a Parliamentarian in the shaping of today’s democratic India has been singular. Even when he stands alone on any issue his stature remains the tall, he keeps his audience spell bound and his observations are noted with great attention and respect. In recognition of his outstanding performance he was honoured by the Lok Sabha in 1995 with the Best Parliamentarian Award.
He is humble with the simplicity of a commoner. For the needy he is always available with help. Above all he is a genuine and an affectionate friend.
Chandra Shekhar is a statesman possessing a national and global stature with the perceptions of a leader of a great country like ours.
It is not easy to understand this gentleman from Ballia as he does not wear his heart on his sleeves. Though one thing is certain that walls around him are collapsible, he neither believes in caging himself in a fortress nor vigilantly fixes the guns on the ramparts. He shuns laborious attempts to punish his foes, there being none. Being a man of all seasons his choice for parties lately has led him to believe that they all will soon be in ruins and people believing in a face and integrity will seek his benign guidance. Their calculations may not be erratic after all. Out of all the former Prime Ministers, he is the most widely travelled person with his grip on the fast beating pulse of the nation. He is the best-informed person as well who is closely in touch with the customs of the land, its emotions and changing moods.
The transformation of the ‘Young Turk’, who helped burnish the image of the Congress during the ‘60s and the early ‘70s, into today’s Elder Statesman spans a period which was perhaps the most tumultuous and possibly also the most turbulent, in India’s modern history. It is a tribute to the many-sided and many-splendoured personality of Shri Chandra Shekhar that, while all others among this band of ‘reformers’ in the Congress fell by the wayside -- and little has been heard of them since -- his light continues to burn as brightly as ever. While compromises have had to, and been, made, his is still a voice of sanity from a glorious past. Like his disdain for the pomp and sartorial elegance of the current crop of upwardly mobile politicians, he has also shunned their politics of opportunism. Yet, he manages to remain relevant, and this in itself is a unique achievement in today’s India.
It is unfortunate that many of his signal achievements during his brief tenure remain unknown and untold. His stellar role in bringing down the communal temperature between November 1990 and February 1991, has hardly ever been mentioned. He greatly deserves the gratitude of the Nation for this one achievement alone. As both, Prime Minister and Home Minister at the time, it was his skilful direction that contributed largely to the restoration of peace and order. Only those privy to the gravity of the situation at the time, can possibly comprehend the magnitude of this achievement.
Even less known is the role he played in bringing about normalcy in the Punjab. There are many claimant to the honour of being responsible for ending terrorism in the Punjab. Most claims are spurious. As some one who was intimately involved in the affairs of the Punjab at the time, I am in a position to state that the contribution of two persons -- Shri Rajiv Gandhi and Shri Chandra Shekhar -- rank far higher than that of all others. It is perhaps not yet time to reveal all that they did, and how they achieved their end-purpose. Suffice it is to say that but for them the history of the Punjab would have been very different today.
Prime Minister, Chandra Shekhar, was nothing if not bold. Almost single-handedly, and knowing full well that he would be courting the ire of the Congress party on which the fate of his Ministry depended, he took the decision -- during the Gulf War -- to permit the refuelling of US planes on Indian soil. He withstood the fire-storm of protests for this action with aplomb, but in hindsight it can be said that it was the first major ‘swivel moment’ in the history of our relations with the United States. The Chandra Shekhar Government was once again excoriated in early 1991 for the sale of our gold stocks, but it did enable India not to default on its international debt repayments. Shri Chandra Shekhar took this criticism as in most other things in his stride.
He brought a breath of fresh air into the corridor of power, often catching officials and others off-guard by his simplicity and a professed rustic behaviour. He could be disarming, and behind the blunt exterior there beat a warm heart. He was generous to a fault and quick to praise. It is the nation’s loss that he decided to don the mantle of office so late in his political career.
If history records Chandra Shekharji’s rise from a poor family, from a backward district of Uttar Pradesh to the pinnacle of Indian politics, it will be a life story of considerable achievement, if it further records that Chandra Shekharji was the proverbial outsider, who sat on the highest throne of the system, it will have chronicled actual facts. If it further records that he out-achieved his mentors and elevated their place in Indian Political history that too shall be a tribute to Chandra Shekharji.
But if history stops with Chandra Shekharji’s life story right there, I shall be sorry. It will have left out the promise of the man who could have been India’s greatest Prime Minister. More then any other Indian Prime Minister Chandra Shekharji could have transformed this country and saved it from its threatened disintegration. He was the only P.M. who wore the mantle of office lightly, kept his feet firmly planted on the ground. The position didn’t daunt him. Even the chair was not larger than him.
History then must ask, with whatever cruelty, why Chandra Shekharji failed as a PM. Why he didn’t fulfil the promise of the ‘outsider’, who had refused to succumb to the lure of a decadent power structure, choking this great country. Why did the hero of those, who with him, opposed the rottenness, sycophancy, mediocrity, caste/communal divide fail to find the ‘fire’ to give a new call to the country.
The fact that Chandra Shekharji led the Government in the most difficult circumstances and under severe constraints is not adequately recognised. Supporting parties had not offered their members to serve on the Council of Ministers and that put a great burden on the Prime Minister in his having to shoulder the responsibility of running important ministries in addition to his duties as Prime Minister. It is remarkable that he was able to give full and serious consideration to all matters requiring attention of the Minister - in charge. Nothing important remained pending unduly for his decision.
Most of us who came in contact with him will always cherish the experience. His accessibility to key personnel was remarkable. Although he demanded good performance from each of us, he always displayed understanding and appreciation of the difficulties in which civil servants had to perform. Chandra Shekharji's touch with the field and ground realities is legendary. People from all walks of life and at every level could reach him. He would visit trouble spots to see things for himself. All senior officers had to be fully prepared when making submission of the case before him. In all these inter-actions, we were always conscious of his strong feelings for the poor and the common people. His sincerity and commitment were so transparent that his critical remarks on inadequate performance were accepted by us all in the right spirit.
Years back our colleague Chandra Shekhar was described as a ‘Young Turk’, a stormy petrel of Parliament. By tradition, growing age is generally considered as an index of heightened maturity, though in some cases it is a process of fossilization. Of course Chandra Shekhar does not belong to the second category. In his own right, with his advancing dynamic political life, he has emerged as a veteran in the political field as well as in Parliament.
Though Chandra Shekhar was a former Young Turk, in recent times, his well timed parliamentary interventions in Hindi, with a poetic touch and a crisp political argumentation could make him rise above the dust and din in Parliament, heard with rapt attention. Now a days, to be heard in Parliament very often one has to speak with the sound and fury of a loud speaker. I recall, in such a situation in the past, I had to tell the Speaker of the Lok Sabha that those who want to be heard especially during the zero hour, have to be prepared to get the cancer of the throat and those who have the patience to listen must have the willingness to develop the cancer of their ears. The dome of Parliament being made of a sturdy material, it alone could withstand the din in the Parliament. I have never seen Chandra Shekhar getting involved in Parliamentary turmoil. One of the reasons is that when he rises in the House to make an intervention, in the hope that he must be making some constructive non-partisan contribution, very often the House develops a mood to listen to him without interference. This is one of the indications that the former ‘Young Turk’ has now been recognised as a ‘veteran’, to be listened to and not heckled.
The conflict between national and international dimensions of socialism has presently assumed a poignant urgency on account of the ominous advent of a totally false and dangerous kind of universality and international unity that goes by the name of globalization and liberalization and which is nothing but the Western imperialism of free trade and technology. It not only subverts the very idea of international cooperation but poses a serious threat to state sovereignty and the cultural autonomy and economic independence of national and ethnic identities. It makes a mockery of the theory of human rights, an idea already loaded in favour of ‘possessive individualism’ and egocentric predilections of modern civilization, by its selective use and motivated interpretation by the western powers. It is a matter of great satisfaction that Chandra Shekhar has been taking a firm and relentless stand against the policies of the present government which has fallen a prey to the ideological indoctrination and false propaganda of the West which has divided the world into the developed and developing countries in order to perpetuate its political, economic and cultural domination. The preponderant role of international agencies like the WTO and World Bank in economic life along with the strident march of the multi-national corporations is bound to destroy both nationalism and socialism and obliterate the distinction between the public and private realms by submerging the former into the latter.
|
