Atal Bihari Vajpayee dies at 93, from Silchar to Saurashtra, the historical speech is still fresh and alive

Former Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee, passed away on Thursday. AIIMS announced the sad news to the world saying that he breathed his last at 5: 05 pm on August 16.

This marks the end of a great era of brilliant oratory and flamboyant politics. At an age of 93, the wordsmith was struggling to complete his sentences. He was admitted in AIIMS 9 weeks back, and the last few days, he was under life support. 

Vajpayee was a freedom fighter, a patriot, an active participant of the Quit India Movement. He joined RSS as a Swayemsevak and then later graduated as a Pracharak before entering electoral politics. He served three terms as the Prime Minister of the largest democracy in the world- once for 13 days in 1996 then later in 1999, for a period of 13 months. Eventually, in his third term, he completed the full five years tenure from 1999 to 2004.

In 2005, he retired from politics and after suffering from stroke in 2009, he stopped making public appearances. Besides politics, he was a revolutionary himself, who also went to jail during emergency.

His grip on literature and oratory skills are renowned all across the globe. His decision making make critics claim Vajpayee is ‘neither a dove nor a hawk’. Under his leadership, India went on war against Pakistan and started bus and train services between the two neighboring countries too. It was in his term late APJ Abdul Kalam became the President of India. Vajpayee, his leadership, his strong words may not be there with us any more but he made India strong forever. It was him who ordered the Pokhran tests and it is for him, India has nuclear power today.

For the people of Barak Valley, his historical announcement of Rs 50,000 crore National Highway Road Development (NHRD) will stay fresh and alive. Popularly known as ‘Mahasadak’, it was Vajpayee’s dream to build road from Silchar to Saurashtra (Porbandar), and Kashmir to Kanyakumari. While most of the construction in other parts of the country is already over, his dream to connect Silchar to Saurashtra is still unfulfilled.