Sakshi shoots his mouth off, gets away

By K. Natwar Singh

I am a secular Hindu who does not wear his religion on his sleeve. India survives as a nation on account of its secularism. The evolution of man has produced some startling freaks. Sakshi Maharaj is probably one of them. Last week the saffron clad Sakshi-ji put his foot into the communal pond by taking an outrageous swipe at the Muslim community: A Muslim family produces 40 children. That’s what he said. Now the political “sant” is trying to wriggle out without success. His party, the BJP, asked a junior minister to issue a gentle reprimand. The Maharaj should, at least, have been suspended from the party. The party has not done so. The Election Commission has intervened and asked for an explanation from the “sant”. He, instead of expressing regret — which a real “sant” would do — is finding excuses, saying he did not name any community etc. Most likely he will get away with his preposterousness. 

RECENTLY I have read two books, Choices by Shiv Shankar Menon and Dragon on Our Doorstep by Pravin Sawhney and Ghazala Waheb. This is not the place to comment on the merits or demerits of these two books. Both books mention the nuclear deal which in the first decade of the 21st century became a cause celebre.

Menon writes: “In March 2005, Condoleezza Rice (US Secretary of State) visited Delhi on her first visits abroad. She agreed with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the need for a breakthrough in the relationship and suggested exploring the possibility of resuming civil nuclear cooperation. The problems were overcome when PM Singh decided to take the plunge. “Rice came for bilateral talks with me, not for exclusive parleys with the diffident Manmohan Singh. Menon skips Manmohan Singh’s visit to Washington in July 2005. Let me quote from Condi’s autobiography, No Higher Honour: 

“I met the day before with my Indian counterpart Natwar Singh in his suite at the Willard Hotel… I also thought it a sign of respect to go to him even though we were in Washington.” Condi Rice and I asked Foreign Secretary and her man Nick Burns to put their heads together and produce a corrected version of Condi’s draft. The next day she rang me at 6 am. “Natwar, why won’t the PM see me?” “He does not want to tell you no…he can’t sell it in New Delhi,” I told her. To cut a long story short, I succeeded in pursuing Manmohan to go ahead. Fortunately he did and met President Bush. Condi writes: “I went directly to the White House…When the Indians arrived, our negotiators and theirs sat in the Roosevelt Room… while the President, Prime Minister Singh, Natwar, and I sat nervously in the Oval pretending to focus on other matters. Finally, I got a note to join the negotiators. Natwar and I entered the room to a smiling Nick Burns and his counterpart. “We’ve got it,” Nick said. Shiv Shankar Menon would do well to read Condoleezza’s book. 

RANA Pratap Singh of Mewar is one of the legendary heroes in the history of Rajputana (Rajasthan). In 1976, the 400th anniversary of the battle of Haldighati was observed. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was at Haldighati as chief guest. I was then posted in London. Later in the year I came to Delhi for consultations. When I met the Prime Minister, I said to her: “Madam, did you go to Haldighati to observe Akbar’s victory or Rana Pratap’s defeat?” “What do you mean?” she asked. I told her that the Rana had revolted against Emperor Akbar. It was Akbar’s duty to suppress the revolt. I continued, “If there was a serious revolt in any part of India, you as PM would have to suppress it.” “I never thought of it that way,” she replied.

Some defeats are more glorious than victories. Rana Pratap never compromised. Not one Rajput ruler came to his aid. Actually Raja Man Singh of Jaipur fought against Rana Pratap at Haldighati as part of Akbar’s army.

Not one decent biography of Rana Pratap exists. I am too old to write one.

The Trump saga is just beginning. He is in many ways an original character and a self-made billionaire. I saw his robust press conference the other day. He handled himself with cultivated nonchalance. The White House has never seen an occupant so unorthodox and unpredictable. Vive la Trump!