The Hindu : National : Writing can be dangerous, says Vajpayee

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 18, 2006

National

National

Writing can be dangerous, says Vajpayee

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, possibly had on his mind the "mole" suggested by his former cabinet colleague Jaswant Singh, when on Thursday he cautioned that publishing could prove to be a dangerous activity especially for politicians.

The occasion was the launch of a compilation of Mr. Vajpayee's "non-political" speeches.

As Mr. Vajpayee himself recalled, it was Pramod Mahajan who had first persuaded him to set about this task.

"People do not expect politicians to write non-controversial books," he said at the simple function held at the Parliament House library building where Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat released the compilation Rajniti Ke Us Paar (Beyond politics).

"These days it has become difficult to write books. Who may interpret what has been written in what way? The meaning may be distorted (arth ka anarth bhi ho sakta hai) and a controversy may ensue. One has to be careful these days," Mr. Vajpayee said, instantly bringing to everyone's mind the mole controversy in which Mr. Jaswant Singh got embroiled after the publication of his A Call to Honour: In Service of Emergent India.