The man behind the statesman

THE day on which votes are counted is always marked by tension and suspense. I remember an incident from 2011, when I was serving as press secretary in the Punjab Chief Minister’s office (CMO). One morning, a senior officer tasked me with keeping CM Parkash Singh Badal posted on the ongoing counting of votes in Tamil Nadu and some other states.

Two PROs had just joined the CMO to assist me. Soon, a message flashed on my mobile phone: “CM saab wants a clear update on how Vaiko’s party is performing in Tamil Nadu.”

Badal, the patriarch of the Shiromani Akali Dal, and Vaiko (Vaiyapuri Gopalsamy), founder of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), shared warm ties forged during the dark days of the Emergency. Naturally, Badal took a keen interest in Vaiko’s electoral fortunes.

Immediately, I assigned the PROs to gather details. Brimming with enthusiasm, they quickly turned to Google. Inadvertently relying on erroneous information, they reported that Vaiko’s party had performed well. Trusting their update, I forwarded it to the officer concerned, who passed it on to the CM. Badal soon contacted Vaiko through his PA: “Vaiko saab, aapko apni party ki achi karguzari par mubarak ho!” (Congratulations on your party’s good performance!)

After a pause came Vaiko’s startling reply: “Badal saab, aapko yeh sab kisne kaha? Humne toh iss baar election hi nahi ladi — boycott kiya tha.” (Who told you all this? We didn’t contest this election — in fact, we had boycotted it.)

For a moment, I froze. Badal, with his characteristic composure, defused the situation: “Kya farq padta hai aap election ladein ya na ladein — aapka to Hindustan ki siyasat mein apna hi ek buland muqam hai.” (It hardly matters whether you contest or not — you already have an eminent stature in Indian polity.) What could have been an embarrassment turned into a moment of warmth and goodwill.

Before long, I was summoned to the CM’s residence. The officer, visibly agitated, said sharply: “This isn’t just a mistake; it’s a blunder — sheer irresponsibility! You didn’t even verify what you shared with the CM.”

“Sir, the fault is entirely mine — I’m truly sorry,” I said. Still fuming, he snapped: “Go and seek forgiveness from CM saab.”

With folded hands and a heavy heart, I approached Badal: “Janaab, galti ho gayi, muaaf kar diyo ji.” (Sir, I’ve made a mistake. Please forgive me.) Badal, calm and gracious as ever, said with a soft smile: “Kakaji, gahan nu dhiyan rakheyo… ajehi kutahi dubara na hove.” (Son, be careful in future… such negligence should not happen again.)

That brief exchange revealed the man behind the statesman. Badal radiated compassion, poise and unwavering moral conviction, all grounded in an enduring humility. On his birth anniversary today, I pay homage to a leader who truly belonged to the masses.