Vijayawada, August 16: Andhra Pradesh Governor Sri Biswabhusan Harichandan paid rich tributes to former Prime Minister of India Bharat Ratna Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on his 4th death anniversary, by offering flowers to his portrait at a programme held in Durbar Hall in Raj Bhavan here on Tuesday.
Governor Sri Harichandan said that Sri Vajpayee was a legendary leader who led the country on the path of development in every sector and was a Statesman who is known all over the world. After the Emergency, when the Janata govt. was formed, he was the Foreign Minister and fostered friendship with both the American block and the Russian block and visited many countries in the world.
He said “I had the privilege of working under his great leadership since 1972 till his death, as the party president and as a Minister in Odisha in different capacities.” Sri Vajpayee served as a Member of the Lok Sabha nine times and as Member of the Rajya Sabha for two times, from 1957 to 2009, which is a record by itself, said the Governor. The Governor said that it was a unique occasion when he became the Prime Minister of the country, with the support of 24 parties and successfully led the govt. with the participation of all of them, due to his great personality by taking them all together and run the govt. from 1997 till 2004.
India got great recognition when India successfully conducted five nuclear tests in Pokhran, under the guidance of Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee as Prime Minister at a time when the big powers of the world decided that no country can have any atomic test, said the Governor. He further said that who world was surprised, when India went ahead and conducted two tests on May 11, 1998, the entire world was surprised and the big powers pounced upon him saying that he should not have conducted such atomic tests. India went ahead and conducted three more atomic tests on May 13, after which, Sri Vajpayee boldly announced to the world that India had become an atomic power and it had absolutely no desire to attack any country and no country could dare to attack India now.
He said the big powers imposed economic sanctions on India because of the atomic tests conducted by India without caring for the warning of the big powers, to which Sri Vajpayee gave a strong response saying that India did not bother for the economic sanctions and that we will build our own country by our own resources.
India received enormous support from NRIs who said that Sri Vajpayee had given a great honour for the country and they were very proud of him as now they are treated by the people in foreign countries with respect as India has now become a big atomic power and they assured all possible help for the development of the country, said the Governor. Taken aback by the firm stand taken by Sri Vajpayee, the big powers ultimately yielded and the first invitation received by him to visit was from America. The President of the USA announced that no international problem could be solved without India and without consulting Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Prime Minister of India.
Sri Vajpayee was a great visionary who conceptualised and launched the Swarna Chaturbhuj (Golden Quadrilateral) national highway network connecting the four metropolitan cities and other major cities in the country and the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, he wanted every village should have a good road connectivity and safe drinking water facility, said the Governor. He further said that he had the privilege of executing the project as a Minister then.
He wanted that people living in villages should be provided all the facilities that are available to people living in cities to avoid people from rural areas migrating to the cities and had implemented several pro-poor projects during his tenure as the Prime Minister of the country, said Governor Sri Harichandan.
Sri P.S. Surya Prakash, Joint Secretary to Governor and other officers and staff members of Raj Bhavan were also present on the occasion.
