Atalji trusted me, introduced me as ‘third party’: Farooq

Arun Joshi

Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 16

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah recalls his association with former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as “special”, hailing him as a “great leader” who could have done many things for Kashmir had he won a majority in the 2004 parliamentary elections.

Talking to The Tribune on phone, in a choked voice Farooq Abdullah spoke of the greatness of the man who came forward with the vision of “insaniyat, jamhooriyat and Kashmiriyat” as a solution to the Kashmir problem. “I am sure, had he won majority (in 2004 parliamentary elections), many of our problems would have been resolved.”

Farooq remembers the dinner on the eve of the Agra summit in July 2001 when Vajpayee introduced him to the visiting Pakistan President, Gen Pervez Musharraf, saying that “he is the third party”. The “third party”, he qualified by claiming that he is “the real leader of Kashmir”. It was a statesman’s statement to the Pakistan President that Farooq was the “real leader of Kashmir” who could sit across the table for talks alongside those with Pakistan and India. The separatist conglomerate Hurriyat Conference had always asked for a seat on the table for talks, but Vajpayee changed the course with just one statement.

“Vajpayeeji trusted me and would take everybody along despite his RSS background. He was unlike the men ruling the country (today).”

Vajpayee had taken him to the Pokhran-II nuclear explosion site within days of the test explosions in Rajasthan on May 11, 1998. Farooq was then Chief Minister of J&K.

“It was his trust in me that made Vajpayeeji take me to the (nuclear explosion) site where among others the Missile Man of India, APJ Abdul Kalam, was also present. He also showed us the other site where future explosions were to be conducted,” Farooq recalled.

“He, perhaps, wanted me to see that how India was fortifying its defences and also to show how much India had progressed.”

When Nehru said ‘Atal you’ll be PM one day’ 

Farooq made it a point to tell The Tribune that Vajpayee’s talent and potential was recognised by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. “Immediately after Vajpayee had finished his maiden speech in Parliament, Panditji walked up to him and said ‘Atal, tum ek din is desh ke pradhan mantri banoge (Atal, you will become Prime Minister of this country one day.”

Omar turns nostalgic  

• On former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s death, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah turned nostalgic about his tenure as MoS external affairs minister in the NDA. 
• “Vajpayee Sahib is no more & I feel a personal sense of loss at his passing. Thank you sir for the opportunities, for the trust you reposed in me, for the opportunities to travel with you and to learn from you. You will be greatly missed,” Omar tweeted. At the age of 29 years, Omar became the youngest union minister.
• “Words mean so little at a time like this but words are all we have to convey the deepest condolences to the entire family,” he said.