Condoling Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s demise, leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha Gulam Nabhi Azad expressed appreciation for Vajpayee’s ability to praise the opposition party. However, in appreciation of Vajpayee, Azad may have also accidentally made a faux pas.
Saying that he has very happy memoories of him and his passing away is a personal loss to him, Azad also claimed that following the Indo-Pak war of 1971, Vajpayee had referred to Indira Gandhi as “Durga.”
I am deeply saddened by the sad demise of former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee who was a great human being and a true statesman. He never hesitated in giving full credit to his opposition party leaders whenever due. I distinctly remember when he praised then PM Indira Gandhi after Indo-Pak war of 1971 and referred to her as Durga. I had occasion of interacting with him over the long period of his Parliamentary career and had very close interaction with him when I was looking after the Parliamentary Affairs portfolio and he was the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha.Gulam Nabhi Azad