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Today, on the 8th death anniversary of Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the great orator of Indian politics, a fierce speaker and former Prime Minister of the country, the entire country is remembering him with reverence. Special tribute programs have been organized in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh and the birthplace of Atal ji. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak and senior officials of the Bharatiya Janata Party will pay homage to the former Prime Minister by participating in state level programs organized in Lucknow today.
Since morning, the process of offering floral tributes by distinguished citizens, ministers and workers to the grand bronze statue of Atal Bihari Vajpayee located at Lok Bhawan in the capital Lucknow is going on. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, remembering Atal ji’s good governance, nation first spirit and inclusive development model, described him as a pioneer of modern India who gave a new direction of values, principles and democratic decorum to Indian politics.
‘Atal Smriti Sandhya’: Timeless poems will resonate in the Scientific Convention Center of Lucknow
On the occasion of the death anniversary of Atal ji, a grand ‘Atal Smriti Sandhya’ is being organized this evening at the Scientific Convention Center located at Chowk, Lucknow. This cultural and literary evening will be completely dedicated to the poetic heart of Atal ji and his immortal creations. Famous poets, litterateurs and musicians of the country will participate in the program, who will present recitation and musical rendition of Atal ji’s main poems.
Presentations of classic compositions like ‘Geet Naya Gaata Hoon’, ‘Haar Nahi Manunga, Rar Nahi Thanunga’, ‘Kadam Meher Chalna Hoga’ and ‘Maut Se Than Gayi’ will be presented from the stage of Atal Smriti Sandhya. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will be the chief guest of this dignified ceremony. In the programme, old colleagues and senior social workers who have worked with Atal ji for a long time will also be honoured. Through the memorial evening, a special effort has been made to introduce the new generation to Atal ji’s nationalist ideas, his literary sensitivity and political correctness.
Lucknow and Atal ji’s unwavering love: Historic journey of becoming MP for 5 consecutive times
The relationship between Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, was not just that of an MP and a parliamentary constituency, but it was a relationship of intimacy, respect and cultural affinity. Lucknow elected Atal ji to the Lok Sabha for five consecutive times (1991, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2004) and during the representation of this city, he took oath as the Prime Minister of the country thrice.
Atal ji loved the culture, food and people of Lucknow immensely. From the streets of old Lucknow to the meetings of Hazratganj, Atal ji had direct communication with everyone. Thanks to the vision he had prepared for the development of Lucknow, today one can see Shaheed Path, international level ring road network, modernization of railway stations, and expansion of scientific research institutes in the capital. People of Lucknow even today proudly say that Atal ji resides in their hearts and every corner of the city bears testimony to his development work.
From Pokhran-2 to Golden Quadrilateral: Atal ji’s historic decisions in nation building
Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure as Prime Minister proved to be a turning point in the history of India. He took the historic decision to make the country a nuclear superpower amidst adverse global circumstances and international pressures:
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Pokhran-2 nuclear test (1998): Dodging the intelligence agencies of the world’s superpowers including America, India was established as a global power by conducting successful nuclear tests in Pokhran, Rajasthan on 11 and 13 May 1998.
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Kargil Victory and Assertive Diplomacy (1999): By liberating the Indian posts fraudulently captured by Pakistan through ‘Operation Vijay’, it proved the bravery of the Indian Army to the world and isolated Pakistan on the global stage.
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Golden Quadrilateral and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY): Revolutionized the country’s infrastructure by laying the foundation of the huge highway network connecting the four metros of the country and PMGSY connecting remote villages of India with metalled roads.
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Education for all campaign: With the slogan ‘Sab Padheen, Sab Badhein’, a historic step was taken towards providing the fundamental right of primary education to every child of the country.
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Telecom Revolution: The credit for laying the foundation of mobile and internet revolution in India goes to the policies of the Atal government, which brought connectivity to the common citizen.
Poet-heart politician: When even his opponents in Parliament accepted the strength of his words
Atal Bihari Vajpayee was one of those rare leaders of Indian politics, who was deeply respected by the leaders of the ruling party as well as the opposition party. From former Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to Indira Gandhi and many subsequent opposition leaders, Atal ji’s speeches in the Parliament were always praised openly. When Atal ji started speaking in Parliament, the entire House used to listen to his every word with pin-drop silence.
He was a staunch opponent of bitterness in politics. In 1996, when his government fell by one vote in just 13 days, his historic speech on the floor of Parliament—”Governments will come and go, parties will be formed and will deteriorate, but this country should remain, this country’s democracy should remain immortal”—is still considered the most inspiring heritage of Indian democracy. By successfully running coalition politics, he proved how to work in the national interest by bringing together parties of different ideologies.
Resolve for good governance and inclusive India: Atal ji’s thoughts are relevant even today
Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birthday (25 December) is celebrated as ‘Good Governance Day’ throughout the country. He clearly believed that the success of democracy lies in bringing a smile on the face of the person standing at the last rung.
Today, when India is rapidly moving towards becoming the third largest economy in the world, the seeds of economic reforms, indigenous technology, self-reliance and world-class infrastructure sown by Atal ji have become banyan trees. These death anniversary programs being organized in Lucknow are not just a tribute, but a medium to reiterate the resolve of nation building which Atal ji lived by throughout his life and dedicated to the country.