OPINION: Gujral's period known as “Gujral Doctrine”

With the sad demise of Inder Kumar Gujral, former Prime Minister, India has lost a freedom fighter, a great patriot, and a great scholar statesman.

 He played a vital role for independence of India through his writings and provided new directions to the new country.  It would be difficult to fill-up the vacuum with his death.

He was the last symbol of state leaders of his time, who took part in the independence of India.  Though his stay as Prime Minister of India was less than one year but his period was known “Gujral Doctrine”.  His first initiative to improve the relations with Pakistan was controversial but he advocated openly for the cause.  He was of the view that India being the biggest country of Asia’s sub-continent, should be courteous towards small countries. 

Gujral is also remembered when emergency by Indira Gandhi was declared and he was Information and Broadcasting Minister.  He did not agree to the censorship and he could not implement it properly and he was removed from the post.

In 1980, he left the Congress and joined Janta Dal and won Lok Sabha election in 1989 from Jalandhar.  He was Foreign Minister in the Ministry of VP Singh and when the joint alliance government was formed under HD Devgoda’s leadership, he continued to hold the same ministry. After the removal of Devgoda, he became the Prime Minister which has the Congress support from outside and it was not possible to continue for a longer period.  He concentrated on foreign policy during his tenure and later on, he left the politics.  But he continued to have faith in the basic concept of democracy.  With his demise, India has lost an able leader.