Tributes and good words about departed souls go hand in hand; so does anecdotes and some light moments which can leave people with moist eyes.
Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had some special memories to share on Tuesday about their deceased colleague and compatriot of many years in front of a capacity crowd at the spacious Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here.
“…..Woh achhi thi; namra se bhari hui thi, sab thik hae. Lekin kabhi kabhi unki juban mein pucca Haryanvi touch bhi thi (Everyone has appreciated her, recalled her qualities. But I used to get a clear Haryanvi touch in her ascent),” Prime Minister said here at the Shradanjali Programme organised by Delhi unit of BJP.
“Along with the Haryanvi ascent, she knew how to make her point strongly. And once she has shared her views or made her point; Sushma ji would not compromise an inch,” Prime Minister said at the function attended by Late Swaraj’s husband Swaraj Kaushal and daughter Bansuri besides a galaxy of parliamentarians from different parties and also union Ministers.
Born in Ambala Cantonment area, at the age of 25 in 1977, Sushma Swaraj became the youngest cabinet minister of Haryana. For his part, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, “….I used to call her Di; normally she took it for Ji and that’s an usual practice. But one day, when I called her Sushma-Di and she heard it clearly. She came back and held both my hands”.
Born on July 10, 1951, Defence Minister Rajnath was – however – one year elder to Late Sushma, who was born on February 14, 1952. Both Modi and Rajnath Singh have seen Sushma Swaraj work from close range.
In fact, between 2010 and 2014, when Sushma was Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha; Singh was BJP president and a sitting MP in the Lower House of Parliament itself. Many times, after Late Swaraj used to make her speeches or the due observations – Rajnath Singh would be seen congratulating her.
Prime Minister also said that Bansuri has enough glimpses of her mother and at the time of Sushma’s death, “Bansuri did stand strong and also rendered the much needed emotional support to her father (Swaraj Kaushal)”. In an emotive speech, Bansuri said her mother (Late Swaraj) was her “best friend”.
