Kohli heaps praise on Vajpayee’s growth policies, political acumen

SHILLONG: Senior BJP leader Nalin Kohli said on Friday Atal Bihari Vajpayee had steered the country in crucial times that led to economic and political changes.
“Atalji is an extremely towering personality of Indian politics. He was the longest serving non-Congress prime minister and he was a person who was loved across party lines. He also steered India through a very important period which resulted in the expansion of infrastructure,” said Kohli, who was in the city on Friday.
The general secretary of the party and in-charge of Meghalaya praised the Vajpayee regime saying India became self-reliant and a future super-power after the Pokhran nuclear tests.
Kohli recalled that the country withstood sanctions which made no significant effect on the Indian economy under Vajpayee’s tenure.
“It was a period when there was a turnaround in our relationship with many countries. It was a period of expansion of economic growth,” he said.
A recent report said India’s GDP grew in double digits twice during the tenure of Manmohan Singh – 10.23 percent in 2007-08 and 10.78 percent in 2010-11. This was according to back series calculations by a committee appointed by the National Statistical Commission.
The average GDP growth during Vajpayee’s tenure (1998-99 to 2003-04) came down marginally to 5.73 percent from 5.9 percent.
Principal Economic Adviser to the Finance Ministry Sanjeev Sanyal recently said the Vajpayee-led NDA government’s economic reforms were among the factors that led to strong GDP growth during UPA I and II.
‘Paying homage isn’t politicising’
Commenting on the criticism of Vajpayee’s niece, Karuna Shukla, who said BJP was trying to politicise Vajpayee’s death, Kohli said, “She joined the Congress several years ago. It is unfortunate that someone is trying to politicise it.”
“Paying homage should not be seen as a political opportunity. It is not the first time that ashes of a leader were taken across the country and cited the example of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. It is also a mark of respect and participation,” he added.
Referring to the charismatic personality of the late prime minister, Kohli said, “Atalji besides being a poet was a person with a long parliamentary history. Our first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru on hearing the first speech (of Vajpayee) in parliament in the late ’50s, had said, ‘You have a bright future.’ He was so right.”
“The idea of taking his last remains to different states across the country is an opportunity for those who love him to pay their respects,” he added.
Asked on the role of Vajpayee in the Narendra Modi-led government, which was not highlighted, Kohli said, “He was unwell for a significant period of time after 2004.”