Atal Bihari Vajpayee's diction and discretion made him a class act among BJP leaders. He never wasted a word. Even the pause between words mattered when he spoke. His humor could be lacerating.
Vajpayee is fondly remembered for his soft-spoken wisecracks than his fiery speeches made to appease his Hindutva constituency. Even Jawaharlal Nehru was awestruck when Vajpayee made his parliamentary debut.
Vajpayee's maiden speech in the Lok Sabha on August 19, 1958 was a trendsetter. The 30-year-old MP spoke about Nehru’s foreign policy in chaste Hindi, a marked departure from the practice of speaking in English in matters of vital importance.
He chose to poke Nehru’s policy of intervening in all international affairs. "One only has to be eloquent to be an orator but one has to have discretion to be silent. India has to learn to maintain silence in many of the matters," Vajpayee launched his subtle attack on the prime minister.
The next day, Nehru replied to the speech in English. Then he sought the Speaker's permission to speak in Hindi. He cited Vajpayee's speech and expressed his agreement to much of it. The speech was greeted with applause.
"This young man would one day become the prime minister of India," Nehru said. He was proven right. Vajpayee was sworn in prime minister on May 16, 1996 for 13 days. He was the prime minister from March 19, 1998 to May 19, 2004.
Vajpayee's parliamentary speeches were legendary. He had the house in rapt attention when he spoke. After one of his compelling speeches, the then prime minister Indira Gandhi admitted that she was immersed in his oratory and wished she could agree with all of what he said.
Vajpayee’s ability to handle English and Hindi with equal ease helped him shine in international forums. He raised India’s voice in the United Nations when Pakistan raised the Kashmir issue to corner India. He made history by speaking in the United Nations in Hindi.
His Hindi speech as the external affairs minister had created quite a stir. There were allegations that the Hindi speech cost more than Rs 12 crore. Vajpayee retorted by saying that it was the greatest lie of the year.
The nation was all ears when the BJP government led by Vajpayeepresented a confidence motion in the Lok Sabha. "The BJP's hands do not have the taint of assuming power and keeping it by indulging in corruption and losing honor. The BJP does not want the power that comes from splitting parties and buying out MPs. Many lost sleep when the President invited the BJP to form government. Who else should he have called? The Congress, which was rejected by the people, or the parties that have mushroomed now?" Vajpayee's reply to the seven-hour long debate on the trust vote silenced the opposition. He bowed out in style.
Vajpayee gave Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf a befitting reply in the Saarc summit in Kathmandu. He responded to Musharraf’s handshake in his characteristically candid way.
"I am glad that president Musharraf extended a hand of friendship to me. I have shaken his hand in your presence. Now president Musharraf must follow this gesture by not permitting any activity in Pakistan or any territory it controls today, which enables terrorists to perpetrate mindless violence in India.
"I say this because of my past experience. I went to Lahore with a hand of friendship. We were rewarded by aggression in Kargil and the hijacking of an Indian Airlines aircraft from Kathmandu. I invited president Musharraf to Agra. We were rewarded with a terrorist attack on the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly and last month on Parliament House of India."
