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| When Atal ji met the Waterloo with Words | | | Bhushan Parimoo
As a gifted orator, the
Late Sh Atal Bihari Vajpayee had his sensible enthusiastic and no-nonsense attitude. He needed no votaries to propagate his oratory skills. The slight touch of humour and sarcasm made him one of the best orators India has witnessed in rent times. Once Uma Bharti in a speech said: "Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a good orator. People say that there has been no orator like him in Indian politics". There is no doubt about his mastery in the art of public speaking; he mesmerised his audience with the jugglery of his words .But a few time he either failed to find words to counter or did not keep his words. It was in the First World Conference on Human Rights held since the end of the Cold War organised by the United Nations in Vienna, Austria. Held between June 14 and 25 June 1993 and since then famous for its Vienna Declaration and Programme of Acton. The conference was marked by an unprecedented degree of participation by government delegates and the international human rights community. Some 7,000 participants, including academics, treaty bodies, national institutions and representatives of more than 800 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) -- two thirds of them at the grass-roots level gathered in Vienna to review and profit from their shared experiences. United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, in a message to the Conference, told the delegates that by adopting the Vienna Declaration and Plan of Action they had renewed the international community's commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights. He saluted the meeting for having forged "a new vision for global action for human rights into the next century". While the speech of His Holiness the Dalai Lama before in the Conference was highly appreciated and lauded, Atal ji was driven back foot; he fumbled with the words rather, as said by some, folded dumb. It so happened that India being one of the members of United Nations , hence incumbent for it to participate in the conference that was quite natural even as per the convention. All the more, the developments in Kashmir since 1989 had been brought in to focus with regard to insurgency and counter insurgency had charged the atmosphere to such a level which across the world had raised a Human Right issue along with other human Right problem being faced those days by other countries such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Angola, Liberia and others. India was facing single handed accusation of violating the human rights of the inhabitants of the State of Jammu and Ksshmir with the gun. Completely felt isolated, no friend came to its rescue in open. To keep watch on every conceivable tactics from the adversaries and defend with proactive counter moves on Human Right issues in this related conference the Late Narshima Rao then the Prime Minster after due deliberation approved the name of Sh Atal Bihari Vajpayee to lead the team to represent the country in the Conference. Included in the delegation, among others a representative from Jammu & Kashmir was Dr Farooq Abdullah; an obvious choice. The Pakistani delegation led by Nusarat Bhutto mother of Benazir Bhutto , as expected, on the onset started spitting venom against India .She had in her armoury full ammunition of every kind to use and fire upon. As a seasoned politician, she knew how, when and where to open fire of accusation with a telling impact. She charged with full furry of accusation with every conceivable violation of human rights, in the state with its minuets details. Her fire was so intense and loaded with charge after charge giving full throttle to war like cry that brought pin drop silence in the jam packed conference hall.All eyes focused on the Atal ji was leading the team the media both print as well electronic covered it live, adding detail after detail liberally the choicest spices of in the stocks of journalism. All eyes, accusing eyes of the participants in the conference now focused on Atal ji. But surprisingly, Atal ji known for his mastery with the words, literally ducked in . So was Farooq Sahib, helpless and the team found itself groping in dark how to counter it. Soon Madam got snared in her own trap, she brought a child, in front all to see and claimed outcome of rape by Indian forces as one of the many such cases. Farooq Sahib who is known to seize any moment of opportunity, not going waste, and a master manipulator, cried loudly and boldly and hit back----no-no- no he has a white complexion definitely not of Indian army who you all know are black in color and generally lean.
The huntress got hunted and was left to lick her wounded ego.This writer had an impression that this particular incident happened in Geneva 1995, where Pannun Kashmir too had taken part and had fallen in to the trap, as alleged, of their hosts Mr Fai, Bhatt, Afzal Khan Tahir from the Kashmir Global Group. It was not UN Human Rights Commission's Conference in Geneva, someone correct me if I am wrong, it was world Human Rights Conference in Vienna. I am not sure whether a child was produced in that conference, lead by Begum Nusrat Bhutto, but what I know at the a later stage in Geneva, a mother and child had been presented before the committee (Dr. Syed Nazir Geelani knows the correct story). I think at that stage it was sub-commission of human rights and later upgraded in the same year with the approval of the world conference on human rights to Human Rights Commission which is now Council for Human Rights. Begum Nusrat Bhutto's speech in Vienna was the product of internal contest of power in Pakistan. Mr. Nawaz Sharif was the Prime Minister, therefore his objective realities and necessity was to send conciliatory message to India while army was the real power behind the curtain. The speech was Army's point of view and Begum Sahiba was chosen as an appropriate person to deliver it so to maintain a political division among political class in Islamabad on one hand and more gaps between Islamabad and Delhi.I was in the hall when Begum Sahiba's speech was confronted by Dr. Farooq Abdullah. In Geneva, in fact it was Shahid Benazir Bhutto who had delivered speech as Prime Minister of Pakistan by using the time allocated to all state dignitaries participation and contribution. Her speech was very impressive and effective to the audience. Before Atul ji being inducted in the cabinet under Morara ji Desai Government and assigne designated as Minster for Foreign Affairs. He would often implore upon the voters to bring his Party to Power and in return among other issues he will Art 370.
And being inducted as Minster with a cabinet Rank he forget unification of the State instead started mending relation with Pakistan, a good step but at times at the cost of the State.When it strat first at low key then day after day voices became boulder and asked reminded of his promise about Art 370 and unification he said it is two different things one to be in power and other in opposition. Unification was sacrificed at the alter of power. Than came Kargil War he was in complete command as Prime Minster of the Country. One evening urdu bulletin from Radio Kashmir at 7.40 PM relayed some excerpts of his speech at Kupwara Day where he said, Yeeh Aarpar Keee Laadaayee Hai, meant it is the war until finish.This writer was in Srinagar with Haji Buland Khan in the allotted house to him called Khanyari House Nehru Park Srinagar. We were having tea. Khan sahib asked what it means. Responded war is imminent, cards has been laid bare. He differed with to ir he was reminded these are words of one of seasoned States which cannot be ignored. Whole night waited for jet sounds making sorties for the attack. As state subjects are used to such incidents in 1965 and 1971.Next morning at breakfast he hinted to what he had said pervious evening, making my ascertain wrong. Same Evening again on Radio he said Joou Garaz Teey Haan Barasteey Nahiee, those who make roar seldom Pour. Latter it was revealed he had ordered advancing soldiers not to cross LOC , while soldiers wanted to retrieve areas of our own state. Kargil war cost the country heavy causalities which all Atal ji made waste. |
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