On the death anniversary of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji, a few memories stand out.

When communal riots broke out in Bhadrak town (Odisha), Vajpayee ji, then Leader of Opposition, immediately travelled to the state.

He reached Cuttack railway station from Kolkata, accompanied by Vishnukant Shastri and Kailashpati Mishra. After freshening up and having breakfast in the waiting room, he sought permission from state officials to visit the curfew-hit Bhadrak town.

Once clearance was granted, Vajpayee ji proceeded to Bhadrak, where the houses and properties of Ramdas Agarwal, party treasurer and Rajya Sabha member, had been damaged in the violence. Devendra Pradhan—father of current Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and then state BJP president—also joined him. Four news agencies and a reporter from an English daily followed in another vehicle.

As the convoy neared Bhadrak, a police jeep overtook them. A young officer stepped out and told Vajpayee ji:

“Only you may go, no other vehicles will be allowed.”

Vajpayee ji reminded him that the Home Secretary had already granted permission. But the officer refused to relent. When the accompanying journalists identified themselves, the officer—who later rose to become Odisha DGP—turned even more rigid, insisting that no media person would be allowed inside.

With a characteristic smile, Vajpayee ji remarked, “It seems you want to hide the facts from the media.” Still, the officer did not budge.

At this point, Vajpayee ji opened the car door, stepped out and declared:

“If you do not allow us, I will sit on a dharna right here on the National Highway—it will turn into a big drama.”

The road was NH-16, running from Kolkata to Chennai, while Parliament was in session. Journalists cautioned the officer:

“Think what will happen if Vajpayee ji stages a sit-in on the highway—traffic will halt, Parliament will erupt, and you will be in trouble.”

Finally, the officer, though visibly irritated, relented.

Inside Bhadrak, Vajpayee ji visited Ramdas Agarwal’s house and had lunch there. He even asked about the police officer and invited him to join. The officer declined. In his calm way, Vajpayee ji told him:

“You are still young, just starting your career. Anger and pride will not serve you well in your duty. Please come and join us.”

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1993 Rajasthan Campaign

During the 1993 Assembly elections, Vajpayee ji addressed three public meetings between Behror and Jaipur. At Behror, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat received him and took him to the Rajasthan Tourism mid-day hotel for tea and snacks.

Over samosas and pakoras, the two leaders chatted for nearly 30 minutes. When Vajpayee ji suggested moving to the rally venue, Shekhawat, describing himself as “chief minister on leave,” asked him to wait a little longer, saying:

“The crowd is still thin… can we wait a bit? These pakoras are really delicious.”

Smiling, Vajpayee ji replied, “Let’s go, people will keep gathering.”

In Rajkot, after late-night meetings, Vajpayee ji would often stop with BJP leaders at an ice-cream parlour near Race Course Ground.

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During the Kargil War

As Prime Minister, Vajpayee ji sent an all-party delegation to the war zone in Kashmir. He himself flew close to the LoC despite security risks. At the IAF airbase in Awantipora, he held a press conference attended by leaders across the political spectrum.

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Other Anecdotes

In Chhattisgarh, when his niece Karuna Shukla contested from Korba, Vajpayee ji introduced her as “Karuna Vajpayee.” She politely interrupted, “Mama ji, not Vajpayee—please say Shukla.”

On another occasion, flying by helicopter from Raipur to inaugurate the new railway office in Bilaspur, Vajpayee ji was relishing crab curry. Sitting behind him were the Governor and the Chief Minister—both expecting the Prime Minister might share a portion. He never did!