The ability to pass on or represent Failure or Success is called Legacy
New Delhi:
“You (the Americans) have invested so much in that relationship (with Pakistan) that you don’t know how to disinvest”.
The best observation one has heard about a person's death and funeral is that a person can be generous and benevolent but it's true the attendance in his or her last journey ultimately depends on the weather.
The Covid19 situation in 2020 is of course a living illustration few can dispute.
But this has been precisely the spirit how history is often guided by. Of course, former External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh would be best remembered as the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's 'Man for all seasons'.
And in all that he did, Jaswant Singh’s role as India's interlocutor - when Jaswant was not even a foreign minister - in the crucial period of Indian diplomatic history when post-Pokhran 2 it faced near isolation globally and especially from the United States and other global players.
Now, when it comes to Jaswant's engagement with Strobe Talbott as suggested by the latter in later stage – by his apt title of the book ‘Engaging India – Diplomacy, Democracy and the Bomb’ (a Penguin publication) – there is need to focus on some plain speaking that Late Jaswant Singh did often at the cost of displeasing the American leadership.
Here’s an instance. Stressing on the point of ‘futility’ of any purpose in US pampering Pakistan, Jaswant Singh had at one point of time remarked to the American side: “We realize that you’ve (US) invested so much in that relationship (with Pakistan) that you don’t know how to disinvest”.
Jaswant Singh had also pointed up to Talbott that “we (India) held out the hand of friendship (to Nawaz Sharif), and we got a fist in the face”. In fact, there have been occasions when Jaswant in mid-1999 had also suggested to his American negotiator that Pakistan was heading for a coup.
In fact, Indian government had strong inkling of Gen Pervez Musharraf taking over soon – but New Delhi was always more cautious about a regime under Musharraf because he has been the “moving force behind the Pakistani incursion and who would be even more intractable on Kashmir".
Talbott also admits in his book that ‘Jaswant was fatalistic about a coup' in Pakistan but added :”there was nothing either India – or, for that matter, the United States could do to stop it, all we could do was not provoke it”.
Moreover, around that time the government of India under Vajpayee in the run up to the 1999 parliamentary polls – immediately after Kargil - did not drum up the war-cry. This can be debated because NDA’s victory became easier in 1999 due to Kargil. Jaswant himself had told Talbott “we could have exploited the crisis”.
Subsequently, things really changed in the Indo-US context also globally since these Jaswant-Talbott dialogues. It is not without good reason in 2010, all five permanent members of the UN Security Council — the United States, China, Britain, Russia and France — came calling on India extending all round friendship and cordial relations.
In 2011, the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton did some plain speaking vis-a-vis Pakistan and had said acidly - “You can't keep snakes in your backyard and expect them only to bite your neighbours".
Of course by 2018-19 things have changed a lot and Pakistan got used to getting regular snubs at the UN and at times Islamabad virtually bought 'embarrassment' for China too. In the words of Talbott again, “Jaswant was as hardheaded and tenacious an advocate for his government’s position as I had ever encountered”.
Talbott also distinguished Jaswant and L K Advani saying, “to me differences between him and BJP hardliners like Advani were real, not tactical. Jaswant represented a more sophisticated, less militant, but no less firmly held view of Hindutva”.
In fact, if Talbott is to be believed, Jaswant and his team during the negotiations had given the US diplomats much tough time. “The danger with the Indians was that they would wear us down. They had their game plan ready and would stick with it”…. unlike Pakistanis, who Talbott said had no game plan.
Well, diplomacy is definitely about a certain amount of ambiguity – at least till the final call is taken.
And in terms of Indo-US relations, these were all relevant. It’s perhaps the irony of this country that Jaswant Singh never made it back as the external affairs minister once the Vajpayee regime was out. Under UPA-2, sadly, S M Krishna could make it.
Congressman Shashi Tharoor, who has experience of diplomacy, pays tribute to Jaswantji and said:
"His (Jaswant's) contributions to defining & defending the Indian polity were substantial. His decency & courtliness were legendary".
JASWANT SINGH JI CONDOLENCE MESSAGE
-L K ADVANI
"I am at a loss of words while condoling the passing away of Shri Jaswant Singh ji. He was not only one of my closest colleagues in my party, but also a very dear friend. Jaswant ji was an outstanding Parliamentarian, an astute diplomat, a great administrator, and above all, a patriot.
Hailing from Rajasthan, Jaswant ji became one of the tallest leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party and contributed greatly throughout his active years in the BJP. As a member of the Vajpayee Government, he singularly and deftly handled the three most important portfolios of External Affairs, Defence and Finance. While handling tenacious issues during those six years, a very special bond was formed between Atalji, Jaswant ji and myself.
As a person, Jaswantji was a true gentleman and will be remembered as a soft-spoken, erudite and warm hearted person. He was known for his sharp, analytical mind and was respected by people across the political spectrum.
Like me, Jaswant ji was also a great lover of books and we often shared notes about this common interest. I cherish my long association with him in public life and the bond shared between our families.
His passing away is a huge loss to the nation and personally to me. May his soul rest in peace.My heartfelt condolences to Sheetal ji, Manvendra Singh, Bhupendra Singh and all other members of his family. Om Shanti.
Jaswant had described Mohammed Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan, as a secular leader and was expelled by the BJP after 2009 election debacle.
But when it comes to Jaswant's engagement with Strobe Talbott as suggested by the latter in his book ‘Engaging India – Diplomacy, Democracy and the Bomb’ (a Penguin publication), the country and strategic observers would analyse how plain speaking that Late Jaswant Singh did often at the cost of displeasing the American leadership.
It is not without good reason in 2010, all five permanent members of the UN Security Council — the United States, China, Britain, Russia and France — came calling on India extending all round friendship and cordial relations.
In 2011, the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton did some plain speaking vis-a-vis Pakistan and had said acidly - “You can't keep snakes in your backyard and expect them only to bite your neighbours".
Of course by 2018-19 things have changed a lot and Pakistan got used to getting regular snubs at the UN and at times Islamabad virtually bought 'embarrassment' for China too.
Narendra Modi, Prime Minister:
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