Today, I was a bit curious. Why? I was remembering Shri PV Narasimha Rao, our former PM. I was working at Hyderabad in Dec 2004 when the cremation of PVNR took place, and I remember what happened, which was an enigma for me at that time.On the fateful day, the body of the ex-PM was hurriedly abandoned even before being fully cremated.The crowd dispersed, no Congress leaders to be seen. His half-burnt body was left lying on the pyre while the flames died down. There was none to care to ensure that the body was completely reduced to ashes. Stray dogs were pulling and eating his half-burned body. Only after some passers-by spotted that his half burnt body was lying there did they inform officials in Hyderabad, who came and ensured complete cremation.The gruesome incident had shocked me, and I am sure many others too.And then the central question…why in Hyderabad? Why not in Delhi, as his family had wanted and as he deserved? After all , PVNR had worked at Delhi, loyal to the Congress, loyal to the nation, for the last 30 years of his life.
This was the body of India’s first non-North Indian PM, a scholar in 14 languages, only the second Congress PM(after LB Shastri) from outside the Dynasty, the father of the Indian economic reforms. Rao successfully decimated the Khalistani separatist movement and neutralised the Kashmir separatist movement.The 11th President of India, APJ Abdul Kalam, described Rao as a “patriotic statesman who believed that the nation is bigger than the political system.” (find an eerie similarity with what people are describing Vajpayeeji as today?) I admired him even through the financial scandal, which he was eventually exonerated of.
His crime for which he suffered such an end? Standing up to the Dynasty and the coterie. We grew up in the 1990s, we havent forgotten the utter disbelief in the fact that a Dynasty and its coterie could hold a nation to ransom.
Yes, a patriotic statesman who was let down by his own party even after death. The venegeance of the Dynasty that ruled Independent India for the first 40 years of its existence, ensured a pitiable ending even in death.
Here is the sordid treatment given to him by the Dynasty and its lackeys:https://m.rediff.com/news/2004/dec/28monu.htm
https://swarajyamag.com/…/books%2Fhow-narasimha-rao-was-hum…
https://postcard.news/how-sonia-gandhi-insulted-the-dead-b…/
I hate politics over dead bodies,but this gets my goat.What can a party that cannot even respect its own departed leaders,offer the Indian nation?
That was 14 years back, somewhere in Delhi and Hyderabad. We would have hoped things would change in this duration. Really?
And then yesterday we saw Rahul Gandhi smiling, almost chuckling, at the funeral of ABV .I would put it down to utter lack of control, and immaturity. Significant, for someone who is projecting himself as the next “Prime Minister” of the Indian nation, because self control is the primary hallmark of a mature politician.
Are we imbecile enough to accept this person as our leader? If we are, then God help this country. We get the leaders we deserve. A potent mixture of toxicity and immaturity- that is the Indian National Congress today, and it is sad to see the rest of the opposition latch on opportunistically.
Coming back to PVNR. True to character, Manmohan Singhji, the one opposition politician I have respect for, tried to stand up for the dignity of his old mentor, but who can prevail in front of the Dynasty and its lackeys?
Congress has forgotten PVNR today, but interestingly, the NDA remembers him.Soon after coming to power, the NDA government had proposed a memorial in PVNR’s name, which came up in June 2015.PM Modi payed rich tributes to him :
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articlesh…/47868463.cms…
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/…/article…/64774570.cms…
Reports (unverified) say the government is planning to give him a Bharat Ratna next year.
I feel like laughing when the Dynasty and its lackeys talk big. Pot calling the kettle black?The treatment awarded to PVNR, whose memory has been erased from the public domain (because he dared to oppose the Dynasty) was “tolerance” indeed.Â
Read more about PVNR at:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P._V._Narasimha_Rao
