Remembering his guru Mulayam Singh Yadav, who passed away Monday morning at a hospital in Gurugram, Union minister of state law and justice SPS Bhagel said the Samajwadi Party patriarch was like a “guardian”. “He was my political guru. I have learnt a lot from him,” said Baghel, BJP MP from Agra Lok Sabha constituency.
Bhagel, who had been Mulayam Singh’s personal security officer for years, recalled contesting Karhal assembly polls against Akhilesh Yadav this year. “I met him in Parliament at Gate No. 12. He (Mulayam) stopped his car, and when I touched his feet, he said ‘Bahut Achha Lade’ (you fought well). He could have said anything that day but he chose these words,” Baghel told News18.
While mentioning that Mulayam was the first-generation politician who rose from the grassroots, Baghel said he always asked him to take care of his health. “He touched my head and said I should take walks daily and take care of health when I went to meet him after his wife’s death,” said the minister.
Recalling Mulayam’s personality, Baghel said, “Whosoever has given him the title of ‘Dhartiputra’ has done justice to it. He was the epitome of struggle. He used to say that Rajneeti Mein Charcha, Parcha and Kharcha Chalte Rehna Chahiye. He used to quote (Ram Manohar) Lohia ji that ‘the living community does not wait for five years’.”
Baghel said Mulayam Singh Yadav was a true advocate of local language, food and dresses. “Lok bhasha, lok bhushan and lok bhojan ke himayati they. He never wore anything other than Dhoti Kurta, and always had vegetarian food like rice and dal. ‘Angrezi Mein Kaam Na Hoga Phir Se Desh Ghulam Na Hoga’ was the slogan of Lohia ji and it was Yadav who lived by it. Though he was an English graduate but he was principally against English, and never used it,” recalled Baghel.
Praising Mulayam Singh’s jovial nature, Baghel said he used to entertain everyone from the government or Opposition.
Baghel had gone to the Medanata Hospital in Gurugram, where Mulayam Singh was admitted since August 22, to know about his well-being. Such was Mulayam’s influence over those who had worked around him that despite joining other parties and being his political rivals, the respect for the SP patriarch remained.
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