Lucknow: As the nation marked Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s 101st birth anniversary, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh shared personal recollections that showcased the former prime minister’s understated humour and diplomatic finesse.

Speaking at an event, Rajnath Singh recounted an incident from Vajpayee’s landmark Lahore bus yatra in February 1999, when India and Pakistan signed the Lahore Declaration aimed at easing tensions after their nuclear tests.

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According to Rajnath Singh, during Vajpayee’s visit to Pakistan, an unmarried Pakistani woman, impressed by his speech, proposed marriage to him and jokingly asked for Kashmir in return. Vajpayee, known for his quick wit, responded that he was ready to marry her but would want the entire Pakistan as dowry. Rajnath said the remark reflected Vajpayee’s ability to combine humour with a firm stance on national issues, particularly Kashmir.

Rajnath Singh also recalled Vajpayee’s humour during difficult periods of his life. He mentioned an incident from the Emergency era when Vajpayee, who was in custody and suffering from severe back pain, was taken to AIIMS. When doctors asked if the pain was caused by bending, Vajpayee reportedly replied that he did not know how to bend in life and must have turned somewhere instead.

Another anecdote cited by Rajnath Singh was from 2006, during the Congress-led UPA government, when journalists asked Vajpayee whether former external affairs minister Natwar Singh had been made a scapegoat in the Iraq oil-for-food controversy. Vajpayee deflected the political question with humour by saying, “I am a vegetarian.”

Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a Bharat Ratna awardee, served as prime minister three times and is remembered not only for his statesmanship and efforts to improve India-Pakistan relations, but also for his sharp humour and distinctive oratory. He passed away on August 16, 2018, at the age of 93 after a prolonged illness.