Some reactions in the aftermath of Pokhran II, one of the bravest decisions by #AtalBihariVaajpayee.
Sonia Gandhi did not react for over a week, perhaps looking for instructions. Then this vitriol:
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K Natwar Singh was the helmsman of Sonia Gandhi on the issue, who actually questioned even the engineering of the nuclear tests undermining its validity.
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According to Sonia, #AtalBehariVajpayee was “divisive force” pushing india to “darkness” and threatening the peaceful neighbors with nuclear arms
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Lalu Prasad Yadav quipped that Delhites were now a bullseye for Pakistan’s nukes. RJD wanted to forge a united front to topple the NDA government due to Pokhran.
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Former PM Indra Kumar Gujral (who in his tenure had supposedly presided over dismantling RAW infrastructure in Pakistan) lashed out at Vajpayee and wrote to him demanding India immediately declared no-first-use and signed the CTBT
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Former PM HD Deve Gowda severely criticized Vajpayee for being reckless, acting under RSS, and also for not taking country in confidence before the tests!!! Apparently scientists had also gone to Deve Gowda for permission to tests which he had denied in interest of farmers
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Another former PM, Chandra Shekhar also criticized Vajpayee for Pokhran on economic arguments. (It was Chandra Shekhar’s Government which had to place national gold reserves as international collateral, about a decade earlier)
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The brave patriot Mulayam Singh Yadav demanded Vajpayee’s resignation for having let India down.
Believe it or not his argument was - even if they did the tests, why did Vajpayee announce it to the world! They could have done the tests secretly!
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To his credit, another former PM Vishwanath Pratap Singh (ailing and hospitalized in London at that time) unequivocally praised the nuclear tests, congratulated Vajpayee, and appealed for Indians to stay united.
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Akali Dal leader Surjit Singh Barnala, instead of being piqued at not being informed despite being coalition partners, applauded the secrecy with which the operation was done by NDA government
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Defying his party line, Congress leader (actually leader of opposition in Lok Sabha), Sharad Pawar applauded the Vajpayee government and asked opposition parties to stand in support of the government.
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P Chidambaram (then in Tamil Maanila Congress) criticized Pokhran and lashed out at Vajpayee
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Beijing funded folks
N Ram wrote a very lengthy editorial, crying over “adverse and deplorable impact on Sino-Indian relations” the nuclear tests would have, reminding that as it was, ICBM program Agni had already provoked the Chinese
frontline.in/static/html/fl…
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The eminent indians circuit, Medha Patkar, Agnivesh, Praful Bidwai, Valson Thampu etc. reacted predictably, “mounting signature campaign” and organizing protests to condemn the jingoistic act of Fascist Vajpayee
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Janata Party and @Swamy39 welcomed the nuclear tests but prescribed developing a strategic doctrine
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Last but not the least, Mamata Didi had more pressing things on her mind. She took back the outside support TMC had given to Vajpayee Government, alleging BJP was hand in gloves with communists and not giving enough “support” to TMC.
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Must add Chandrababu Naidu’s reaction. Based on reports by three different journalists, TDP and Naidu seemed more concerned about potential suspension of funding in the aftermath of Pokhran II, as well as that the public support might embolden BJP.
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