The new book ‘Apnapan’ of former Chief Minister and current Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, who has entered central politics, has been grandly released. This book is based on his decades-long experiences and close relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On this special occasion on Tuesday, Shivraj Singh Chauhan looked very emotional and he narrated such an unheard story of his first meeting with PM Modi, which left everyone present there stunned. He told how in 1992, after hoisting the tricolor at Lal Chowk in Srinagar, Narendra Modi started crying remembering the party workers. When terrorism was at its peak and Narendra Modi got a big responsibility, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, remembering that period of the 90s, said, "…At that time terrorism was at its peak in Kashmir. No one could even imagine hoisting the tricolor flag at Lal Chowk in the valley. Then Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi was the national president of Bharatiya Janata Party. BJP decided that under his leadership ‘Ekta Yatra’ would be taken out from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, so as to emotionally unite the whole of India and the tricolor would be hoisted at Lal Chowk, Srinagar."
He further said, "The responsibility of conducting and managing this historic and extremely risky journey across the country was entrusted to Narendra Modi ji. At that time I had just reached Parliament after winning the Lok Sabha by-election. I got a call from late Pramod Mahajan ji that ‘Kesariya Vahini’ was being formed to connect the youth with Ekta Yatra and I had to become its coordinator. It was in this context that I met Narendra Bhai for the first time."
Terrorists had given an open challenge, Modi said – ‘Decision will be taken at Lal Chowk’ Referring to that dreadful period, the former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh said that on January 23, terrorists had indiscriminately fired on the bus of workers participating in the Ekta Yatra in Phagwara, Punjab, in which 6 workers were martyred. The terrorists thought that the journey would be stopped, but it did not happen. Chauhan told, "Terrorists had pasted posters at Lal Chowk in Srinagar, it was written on the walls – ‘Come, who has drank his mother’s milk, should come to Lal Chowk and hoist the tricolor. If returned alive, terrorists will give reward. Narendra Bhai had thunderedly replied to this blabbering of the terrorists that ‘it will be decided at Lal Chowk as to who has drank his mother’s milk.’ The then Congress government also tried its best to stop the yatra citing security."
When Narendra Modi kept crying all night after returning from Lal Chowk, Shivraj Singh Chouhan narrated the story of that historic moment in the book launch. He said that due to restrictions, the entire yatra was not allowed to go, after which only Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, Narendra Modi and three others reached Srinagar and hoisted the tricolor at Lal Chowk and raised the sovereignty of India. Chauhan told, "When Narendra Bhai returned to Jammu after winning the mission from Lal Chowk, lakhs of workers there were immersed in the enthusiasm of patriotism. But Narendra Bhai’s heart was yearning for those workers who were working day and night to make this yatra a success, but due to security reasons could not see the tricolor hoisting at Lal Chowk. Remembering the sacrifice of those workers, Narendra Bhai did not sleep that night and kept crying like a child. Even today, I get choked up while narrating this story."
‘Beed CM for 17 years, but not a single stain on his hem’ Former Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, present at the launch event, praised Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Naidu described Chauhan as a ‘real grassroots leader’ (mass leader). He said that during his long tenure of nearly 17 years as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, the entire political life of Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been ‘spotless’, which is very rare in today’s times.
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