In a Vajpayee moment, Capt speaks for the nation

Wednesday, 20/02/2019

https://www.brightpunjabexpress.com/index.php/2019/02/19/in-a-vajpayee-moment-capt-speaks-for-the-nation/

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has stood out to be the tallest leader speaking for the nation in the aftermath of the Pulwama suicide attack that left 41 CRPF soldiers dead and many others injured. Capt Amarinder’s speech in the Punjab assembly, while moving the adjournment motion in memory of the CRPF jawans killed in the attack, was more Prime Ministerial than Chief Ministerial, as it voiced the anger and the sentiments of an entire nation. It reminded of the 1994 Geneva Convention, when the then leader of the Opposition Atal Bihari Vajpayee instead of the Foreign Minister of the country led and represented the country to successfully prevent Pakistan from moving and getting a resolution passed against India for the alleged human rights violations in Kashmir.

Not only did Capt Amarinder speak for his party, the Congress, but he spoke for the entire nation voicing and articulating the anger that is raging in every Indian’s heart. Had it not been Capt Amarinder’s clear, categorical and aggressive stance against Pakistan, the Congress party would have been running for the cover after its ‘celebrity’ leader Navjot Singh Sidhu rushed with the clean chit to Pakistan after the suicide attack owned by the Pakistan based Jaish-e-Mohammad.

Even today, Punjab Chief Minister was the first to react to and reject Pakistan Prime Minister’s statement on Pulwama, where he had asked for proof, while pointing out how Jaish-e-Mohammad was working in his backyard. Besides, he added, what had Pakistan done after India submitted all the proof of Hafiz Sayeed’s involvement in Mumbai attacks.

Capt Amarinder’s speech in the Punjab assembly on Friday actually articulated the sentiments of whole of India, in which he challenged Pakistan and its military chief Qamar Bajwa in particular. It was not just a Chief Minister speaking for his state, but a national leader voicing the anger of an entire nation. No wonder his assembly speech went viral and had millions of views and likes within no time.

It revived the memories of 1994 in Geneva, when Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the then leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, instead of then Foreign Minister Dinesh Singh, led India’s delegation in the United Nation’s Human Rights Commission to counter Pakistan’s move to bring in a resolution condemning India for alleged human rights violations in Kashmir. Vajpayee was assisted by Salman Khursheed, the then Minister of State for External Affairs, besides others.

While the Congress president Rahul Gandhi offered unconditional support to the government to deal with the situation, it was actually Capt Amarinder who led from the front in voicing and articulating the government (of India), rather the national sentiment starting with his speech in the assembly made with his characteristic clarity and aggression that set the tone. The Punjab Chief Minister followed it up subsequently with his regular statements and media interviews, which also became hit with the masses.

There could be no better way than to tell the world in general and Pakistan in particular that India was united in its fight against terror when a Congress Chief Minister of one of the states was doing the straight talk for the whole country and actually representing the national sentiment. And that makes Capt Amarinder stand out and stand tall in the entire country.

While any comparison with anyone, much less someone like Navjot Singh Sidhu, will be too unfair to Capt Amarinder as he stands out taller and majestic, still it deserves a mention that had it not been for him (Capt Amarinder) doing the straight talk on Pakistan, Congress would have found it difficult to defend what Sidhu had done by giving clean chit to Pakistan on Pulwama suicide attack, when whole world was pointing fingers at that country.

While Capt Amarinder already commanded a national stature much higher than that of a Chief Minister, his aggressive stand against Pakistan has further endeared him to the common masses across the country cutting across party lines. The videos of his speech are being shared on the social media all over the country and have already had millions of views.