Vajpayee Remembered for his Outstanding Contribution to Nation

A Correspondent

DHUBRI: A large number of people from all walks of life remembered Atal Bihari Vajpayee in an open condolence meeting held under the auspices of Dhubri District Juva Sachetan Manch (DDJSM) at Goalpatty More near Dhubri District Library on Sunday. Speaking in the meeting, Dr Piyush Mishra of Bholanath College said that Vajpayee’s stature was larger than life but he remained humble and amiable in nature all his lifetime. “He was like a commoner and mixed up with anyone, irrespective of caste, creed and religion. He was above all social dogma and a man of determination and commitment. Pokhran II was the example of his strong mind,” Mishra said.

Addressing the meeting, former AASU leader Enamul Haque recalled the Assam Movement and said that Vajpayee was the only leader then who deeply realized the danger of influx from the neighbouring country. “Atalji raised the issue of influx in the Parliament and said that it was not the problem of Assam alone but it had far reaching effects in the nation as a whole. We met him during our visits to Delhi when he was Prime Minister,” Haque added.

While addressing the meeting, Golokganj legislator Ashwani Roy Sarkar also threw light on the life and activities of Vajpayee and recalled how his life was influenced by Vajpayee’s simple living and high-thinking style of life. Journalist Bijoy Kumar Sharma in his brief speech highlighted Vajpayee’s early life and his career as journalist and said that he had joined as an editor of Rastra Dharma in 1947 in Banaras when the country was passing through the turmoil of partition.

“He subsequently became the editor of Pachajanya and later worked and contributed his writings in Veer Arjun and Chetana regularly. But later his witty and humorous treatment in poetry became popular in the Samachar newspaper. He then moved to Lucknow and joined Swadesh and worked there till 1968. He joined Bharatiya Jana Sangha founded by Shyama Prasad Mukherjee,” Sharma added. Several other dignitaries and social workers, including BJP Dhubri district unit president, Dipak Kumar Saha, Dr. Saradindu Banerjee and BJP leader Gopal Prasad attended the function.

DDJSM convener Bhagirath Ojha said that after this programme they were contemplating to launch donation programme to contribute to the Kerala Relief Fund as the flood had left a trail of devastation in that State.