Arun [ The Last ] Nehru

GURGAON – NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION – INDIA           AUGUST 25 , 2013           11.50 A.M.

Today as I am sitting in Gurgaon , Haryana [ National Capital Region ] and waiting for the cab to arrive and take me to Indira Gandhi International Airport , New Delhi , I cannot miss the irony of the situation .

It is uncanny that this blog , which is an obituary of Shri Arun Gandhi , is being written in Gurgaon . Shri Arun Nehru died in Gurgaon . This blog is being written on August 25 , 2013 . Shri Arun Nehru died exactly one month before . He breathed his last on July 25 , 2013 in Gurgaon .

Arun Nehru

24 April 1944 – 25 July 2013

I would say that he was a reluctant politician and after retiring as a politician , he became a columnist and he was an excellent columnist .

He was member of the 7th and 8th Lok Sabhas from Rae Bareli on an Indian National Congress ticket . He , after resigning from the Congress , was member of the 9th Lok Sabha from Bilhaur as a Janata Dal leader.

Arun Nehru was born in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, and had worked in business for 17 years , before he entered politics . He was president of the Jenson and Nicholson group at the time when his aunt , Indira Gandhi, persuaded him to change career .

As a representative of the Indian National Congress , Shri Arun Nehru was a member of Parliament in the 7th Lok Sabha (1980-84) and 8th Lok Sabha (1984-89) . Aside from sitting on various consultative committees during this time , he was Union Minister of State for Energy (December 1984—September 1985,) and for Home Affairs (September 1985—October 1986) .

Later due to some differences with his cousin Shri Rajiv Gandhi , he left the Indian National Congress for Janata Dal and was elected to the 9th Lok Sabha, where he was Union Minister for Commerce and Tourism (December-November 1990) .

During his tenure as minister in the Home department in 1985-86, he was allegedly involved in the Czech pistol case, where a deal with a Czechoslovakian firm Merkuria Foreign Trade Corp. had resulted in a loss of around 25 lakh . But it is not the time to discuss such issues . We should be respectful to the departed soul . A man should not be criticized , when he is not there to defend himself .

I used to read his columns and was fan of Arun Nehru , the columnist . It is sad that he is gone and gone too soon .

On behalf of all the students and staff of VIDUR Acting Institute , which is known as Vidur’s Kreating Charakters  , I deeply mourn the death of Shri Arun Nehru .

VIDUR Editing Studio , VIDUR Club and VIDUR Theatre also joins in expressing grief over the sad and early demise of Shri Arun Nehru , the Last Nehru .

Adieu Shri Arun Nehru , perhaps the Last Nehru in Indian politics .

[ Personal details of Shri Arun Nehru and his alleged involvement in Czech Pistol Case has been taken from Wikipedia . I express gratitude . ]

 

VIDUR

MUMBAI – MAHARASHTRA – INDIA

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Rastra Dharma Rakshak : A Denunciation

MUMBAI – MAHARASHTRA – INDIA           JUNE 17 , 2013           00.30 A.M.

“I do not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it .”  – Voltaire

I was closely following the political turmoil which gripped BJP after its Goa National executive Committee meet . I was particularly peeved when some disgruntled youth protested in front of Advaniji’s house in New Delhi . The banners they used informed us that they belonged to a little known organization called Modi Sena .

One can draw the inference that officially BJP or Shri Narendra Modi has nothing to do with it . But I remember one more protest of the same nature against Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee . When there was a rebellion against Shri Keshu Bhai Patel , Atalji went to Gandhi Nagar to broker peace . Keshu Bhai Patel was removed and Suresh Mehta was anointed as Chief Minister of Gujarat . There were protests against Atalji . When he was heading for airport , his car was gheraoed by few slogan shouting youth . At that time also protesters shouted obscene slogans against him . At that time also we were informed that they were some disgruntled youth and they don’t belong to the party . And we believed .

But some disgruntled youth again appeared and shouted slogans against Advaniji . Coincidence can’t happen again and again . Who is responsible for this act . How come few disgruntled youth appear on the scene when something happens which is not liked by someone . And yes , they have audacity to protest against Atalji and Advaniji and that too with impunity .

Apart from the protesting disgruntled youth , there is one organization called Rastra Dharma Rakshak also in the arena . If you write or say anything against a leader which is not liked by them , they will hurl abuses and post extremely obscene comments on facebook . You can visit their facebook page to get first hand knowledge :

http://www.facebook.com/hindudharma.rakshak

I am curious to know about the Rastra Dharma Rakshak and Shri Dhiraj Desmukh , who seems to be heading this organization . They proclaim to admire Shri Anna Hazare , Baba Ramdev and Shri Narendra Modi . But in order to admire above mentioned great personalities , you need not ridicule or insult the other ones .

Hon. Anna Hazare in Nanded , Maharastra . (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Baba Ramdev (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Narendra Modi at the World Economic Forum in India (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Previously they used to post obscene comments and insulting  pictures of Shri Manmohan Singh and Shrimati Sonia Gandhi . In democracy you can oppose any person or leader and even criticize them . But it should be done in a decent , civilized way . To Photoshop any leader’s photo and then posting it on social networking sites is unethical .

Their bent of  mind is puzzling . Is it necessary to support everyone whom they support ? Are we duty bound to acquiesce to their dictates ? If it is so , is it good for democracy ? Or it is democracy at all ?

If Advaniji says that he is not well , so he is not well . If he doesn’t want to go to a particular meet , it is his choice . He doesn’t need Rastra Dharma Rakshak’s nod for that or their permission to skip the meet . Any one wanting to know their bent of mind can send them friend request on facebook and see what they write . It is filthy . It is vulgar . It is uncouth . It is demeaning to even reproduce those postings here .

Shri Lal Krishan Advani

Yesterday the man to be abused was Shri Lal Krishan Advani . Today the goal-post has changed . It is now turn of Shri Nitish Kumar . I also wish that in the interest of the nation BJP and JD ( U ) should work together . But if  JD ( U ) wants to break the relationship , it is their choice . But all of a sudden according to Rastra Dharma Rakshak , Nitish Kumar is supposed to be getting money from Pakistan . May I demand to know  why was it not reported earlier ?

Nitish Kumar (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In politics it is your right to criticise . But to rebuke , ridicule or insult is neither your right or your prerogative .

I denounce Rastra Dharma Rakshak . They have no place in democracy . Their autocratic behaviour poses dangerous signal . I do respect Shri Anna Hazare , Shri Narendra Modi and Baba Ramdev . But I won’t allow myself to be forced to like or admire them . In fact years ago , when the embers of Gujarat riots were still hot and burning , I wrote two blog post in support of Shri Narendra Modi . Anyone can visit the Political Category of my blog post and can read the blogs .

1 – In Defence of Narendra Modi : March 24 , 2010

2 – Narendra Modi & His Detractors : December 20 , 2012

There was another post which I wrote when Kokrajhar riots happened :

1 – Kokrajhat & Tyranny of Distance : September 06 , 2012

But I refused to be dictated by Rastra Dharma Rakshak and its patron Shri Dhiraj Desmukh . To admire Shri Narendra Modi , I need not be ridiculing Shri Advaniji . As I have written in the beginning :

“I do not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it .”  – Voltaire

If it is right of Rastra Dharma Rakshakt to admire someone , then it applies to me also . They cannot dictate terms or force me into subjugation . I may be small . I may be alone . I may be in minority but I still have the mind of my own which refuses to be cowed down by a Rastra Dharma Rakshak . I finish my blog by remembering a poem written by Dr. Dharam Vir Bharti .

मैं
रथ का टूटा हुआ पहिया हूँ
लेकिन मुझे फेंको मत !

क्या जाने कब
इस दुरूह चक्रव्यूह में
अक्षौहिणी सेनाओं को चुनौती देता हुआ
कोई दुस्साहसी अभिमन्यु आकर घिर जाय !

अपने पक्ष को असत्य जानते हुए भी
बड़े-बड़े महारथी
अकेली निहत्थी आवाज़ को
अपने ब्रह्मास्त्रों से कुचल देना चाहें
तब मैं
रथ का टूटा हुआ पहिया
उसके हाथों में
ब्रह्मास्त्रों से लोहा ले सकता हूँ !
मैं रथ का टूटा पहिया हूँ

लेकिन मुझे फेंको मत
इतिहासों की सामूहिक गति
सहसा झूठी पड़ जाने पर
क्या जाने
सच्चाई टूटे हुए पहियों का आश्रय ले !

…………………… धर्मवीर भारती ……………………

On behalf of all the students and staff of VIDUR Acting Institute , which is known as Vidur’s Kreating Charakters  , and on behalf of VIDUR Editing Studio , VIDUR Club and VIDUR Theatre I express my voice in favour of personal freedom and against dictatorial tendency of few uncouth , sycophant paper tigers . They proclaim to be admirers of few great souls whom even I admire but not  the way they wish me to admire them .

VIDUR

MUMBAI – MAHARASHTRA – INDIA

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Inder Kumar Gujral : Father of A Failed Doctrine

I K Gujral (Photo credit: ramesh_lalwani)

MUMBAI – MAHARASHTRA – INDIA           DECEMBER 02 , 2012           11.40 P.M.

Inder Kumar Gujral , the 12th Prime Minister of India , ruled the country for almost 11 months . He was Prime Minister from April 1997 to March 1998 . He , apart from his brief tenure , will always be remembered for 3 (in) famous legacies . He was the second Prime Minister of India , who ruled the country without being elected to Lok Sabha . He was member of Rajya Sabha throughout his tenure . His immediate predecessor H. D. Deve Gowda was the first one to govern the country from Rajya Sabha . His second controversial act was to dismiss BJP government of Uttar Pradesh led by Kalyan Singh . His third (in) famous legacy was a foreign policy doctrine known as ” Gujral Doctrine ” .

Born on December 04 , 1919 in the Jhelum district of undivided Punjab , he died on November 30 , 2012 in Gurgaon , Haryana .

As a student in Lahore , he was member of Communist Party of India . He joined Indian National Congress in 1964 . He was Minister of Information and Broadcasting in the Indira Gandhi government during the dreaded emergency . He allegedly refused to obey commands of Sanjay Gandhi and thus was out of favour . He was later appointed as the ambassador of India to USSR [ Union of Soviet Socialist Republic ] , now known as Russia . It goes to his credit that he continued to hold the position during the tenure of Morarji Desai and Charan Singh regimes also .

He , after returning from USSR , resigned from the Congress in 1980 and joined Janata Dal . He was Minister of External Affairs during the regime of V. P. Singh . He again retained the same ministry during the tenure of H. D. Deve Gowda . The year was 1996 . During this period he propounded his (in) famous doctrine , known as ” Gujral Doctrine ” .

In 1997 , Congress withdrew support to H. D. Deve Gowda government and it collapsed . To avoid general election a compromise was stitched and Inder Kumar Gujral was sworn in as the 12th Prime Minister of India on April 21 , 1997 .

As I have stated earlier , as a Prime Minister he supported the dismissal of Kalyan Singh government of Uttar Pradesh in 1997 and tried to impose president rule . The then president of India K. R. Narayanan refused to sign the recommendation and sent it back . Inder Kumar Gujral government had egg on its face when Allahabad High Court also gave decision against the President’s rule . He had to eat crow .

His another controversial legacy is his (in) famous ” Gujral Doctrine ” . According to this doctrine India , being a big brother , should not demand reciprocity while dealing with her immediate neighbours like ; Pakistan , Nepal , Bangladesh , Bhutan , Maldives and Sri Lanka . Without caring or demanding for any kind of reciprocity , India should give all she can with generosity and magnanimity .

Though I have all the respect for this erudite statesman , I submit with all the humility that ” Gujral Doctrine “ is flawed . 26 / 11 and other terrorist incidents are ample proof of the futility of ” Gujral Doctrine ” .

As the news of his death came , I remembered his suave and gentle persona . He was our 12th Prime Minister during fluid and turbulent times . He erred when he dismissed Kalyan Singh government in Uttar Pradesh and again succumbed to his innate kindness while propounding ” Gujral Doctrine “ . Real – politic should follow Chanakya or Machiavelli . It should never be based on utopian philosophy of goodwill and generosity .

As per Hindu tradition one should not speak ill of the dead person . But since Inder Kumar Gujral was the Prime Minister of this country and his actions affected us enormously , so it is pertinent to analyze his tenure . This blog precisely does that .

I mourn his death and offer my condolences .

I , on behalf of all the students and staff of my acting institute , Vidur’s Kreating Charakters  , pray for the departed soul .

VIDUR

MUMBAI – MAHARASHTRA – INDIA

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