The Hindu : Front Page : A multi-faceted personality, says Abdul Kalam

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Friday, Dec 24, 2004

Front Page

Front Page

A multi-faceted personality, says Abdul Kalam

By Our Special Correspondent

Taking the oath of office as Prime Minister on June 21, 1991. — Photo: S. Arneja

NEW DELHI, DEC 23. The President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the Vice-President, Bhairon Singh Shekawat, the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, the former Prime Ministers, A.B.Vajpayee, V.P. Singh and Chandra Shekhar, the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, and a host of leaders cutting across party lines condoled the death of the former Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, here this afternoon. The Union Cabinet also held a special condolence meeting.

In a condolence message to Mr. Rao's son, P.V. Ranga Rao, Mr. Kalam said: "Shri Narasimha Rao was a multi-faceted personality, a statesman and a leader who contributed to the nation in various capacities during his long and distinguished political career. He was a scholar and a linguist and a distinguished parliamentarian. He has made significant contribution to the Indian polity as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Cabinet Minister in various Ministries and as the Prime Minister of India from 1991-96. He will always be remembered for initiating economic reforms in the country during his tenure as the Prime Minister. In his death, we have lost a great leader. I pay my respectful homage to this great son of India."

The Vice-President in a message to Rajeswar Rao, Mr. Rao's another son, said he was an undaunted freedom fighter and a mass leader, who always worked for the welfare and uplift of the weak and the deprived sections of society. "As a chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Union Minister and Prime Minister of the country, he served the people with utmost dedication. He was also a great linguist, scholar par excellence, writer, thinker and a reformist. He will always be remembered for his services to the nation.

"I have very fond and respectful memories of his affection and regards towards me. It is indeed a personal loss to me. In his death, the country has lost a stalwart and it will be difficult to fill the void caused by his sad demise''.

Cabinet resolution

A special meeting of the Union Cabinet adopted a resolution expressing its deep sorrow over the demise of Mr. Rao and recording the appreciation of the country for his dedicated service towards the betterment of the common man and for the leadership and guidance he provided as Prime Minister in economic reforms and liberalisation.

Describing him as a statesman, scholar and linguist, the resolution said a man of many interests Mr. Rao leaves his imprint in various areas of our national life. "His sensitivity and love for music and the arts marked him as an exceptional human being. Possessed of an ideal political temperament, Rao's wisdom and detachment impressed one and all."

The resolution also recalled that he had a special interest in Indian philosophy and culture, writing fiction and political commentary, learning languages, writing poetry in Telugu and Hindi and keeping abreast of literature in general. "He was a sophisticated, suave, scholarly and visionary leader."

Tracing the career of Mr. Rao, the resolution said his political baptism began in 1938 during a protest against the Nizam Government's ban on singing of "Vande Mataram" in his college and recalled how he actively participated in the Quit India movement. "Throughout his long public life, he constantly strove for the betterment of the common man," it said.

The Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, in a separate statement, said the passing away of Rao was a personal loss for him. "I sincerely valued his guidance, his advice, his support and his friendship. He was generous to a fault in extending each of these to me with grace and affection''.

`Unique phenomenon'

Mr. Rao, he said, was a true patriot, a nationalist to the core, a visionary, a builder, a reformer and without doubt a statesman. "Our country was fortunate that a time when it was gripped by great national sorrow and a grave tragedy, on the one hand, and a serious economic crisis, on the other, it was able to reach out to an elder statesman like Shri Rao and place the destiny of the nation in his hands. He will forever be remembered as the father of economic reforms in India. I could do whatever I was able to as the Finance Minister (at that time) because of his unstinted support and cooperation''.

Describing Rao as an ``unique phenomenon in Indian politics'', he also noted that apart from Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru there had been only few others in political life, who were so well read. "He [Rao] was a man of letters, a poly-linguist and a writer. I join the nation in paying tributes to his departed soul."

Former Prime Minister, V.P.Singh, said Mr. Rao was one of the eminent leaders of the country. He was a great scholar, a multi-linguist and an expert on foreign policy and diplomacy. He provided special impetus to the policy of economic liberalisation.

A calm but serious person, he with a quite poise tolerated bitterest of his critics. In his death, the country has lost yet another link with the era of independence movement, Mr. Singh said.

The former Prime Minister, Chandra Shekhar, said with the demise of Mr. Rao, one more stalwart of the freedom movement has fallen. "A man of letters, sober and gentle in speech and thought, Narasimha Rao guided the destiny of the nation at a crucial period. During his tenure, he took many decisions, which helped the country march towards its pre-determined goals."

The BJP leader and former Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, said Mr. Rao was a successful External Affairs Minister, raising the profile of the country in the world. Describing him as the father of economic reforms, Mr. Vajpayee said though he was part of a political party, he worked as the leader for the entire nation. His life had been a struggle for the welfare of the country till his last.

The Congress president, Sonia Gandhi said, "P.V.Narasimha Raoji was one of our tallest political leaders" and recalled that Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi had sought his counsel on a variety of issues. "He was erudite, multi-lingual to an unusual degree, a politician of rare intellect."

Noting that he was "one of our senior-most and valued colleagues," Ms. Gandhi said his name would be forever linked with the economic reforms programme, which he initiated in 1991 when, soon after the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, he became Prime Minister.

RSS tribute

The RSS chief, K.S. Sudarshan, recalled that despite ideological differences, several Sangh leaders enjoyed good rapport with him. "While the differences were very deep, neither the Sangh leaders nor he ever allowed them to create any ill-will. In the Indian politics today, very few politicians match his stature and scholarship. He (has) left an indelible imprint on the Indian polity. We pay him our respectful homage and pray to God that his departed soul be accorded a respectful place in His abode."

Mr. Sudarshan also recalled that Rao ran the affairs of the country as Prime Minister with great wisdom and experience at a time of great tumult and instability, which, he said, earned him the sobriquet of "Chanakya" of Indian politics.

The Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman, K. Rahman Khan, the Union Agriculture Minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader, Sharad Pawar, the External Affairs Minister, Natwar Singh, the Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, the Railway Minister and RJD leader, Lalu Prasad, the Minister of State for Coal and Mines, Dasari Narayana Rao, and the Minister of State for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, K.H. Muniyappa, paid rich tributes to Rao.

Left parties condole

The general secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist), Harkishan Singh Surjeet, said: "In the passing away of Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao, the country has lost a senior leader, who was the Prime Minister and who began his political life as a freedom fighter. As a leader of the Congress party, Shri Narasimha Rao had held various public positions as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and in the Union Cabinet. I convey my sincere condolences to the members of his family."

The central secretariat of the Communist Party of India expressed its sorrow at the passing away of Mr. Rao and conveyed its condolences to the members of his family. In a statement, it said, "his five years term as Prime Minister was full of events and controversies."

The Parliamentary Party of the Telugu Desam met under the chairmanship of K. Yerran Naidu and expressed shock at the demise of "the first Prime Minister from Andhra Pradesh." "He has taken the country to a new direction by bring out economic reforms in the country. By his death, the national has lost an able leader." The meeting observed two minutes silence in his memory.

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