The experiences bestowed by Kanchi-Mahaswami — Part 56 : Strange Personality and Stranger Experience
https://www.thuglak.com/thuglak/main.php?x=curissue/ninaithu_paarkiraen_24_11_2021.php
Author : Sri S.Gurumurthy
Translator : C.Rangarajan
Indian Express group was successful in uniting different personalities. Goenka is an “astika”, temple visiting, a simple Gandhian who would wear Kadhi. He was intimate with Mulgaonkar, who was diametrically opposite to Goenka in such matters. They would differ in the majority of things but had great respect for each other. Similarly, Goenka had good relations with both sets of people — (like Mulgaonkar) Kuldeep Nayyar & Ajit Bhattacharya and (like him) Arun Shourie, A.N.Sivaraman, S.Gurumurthy, and N.S.Jagannathan. Many people from different walks of life — Congress, BJP, RSS, Gandhian, Communists, and others, were in touch with the IE group. Though Goenka was a staunch anti-congress, he encouraged the plurality of thoughts in the group. I had the opportunity to interact with many such people and it would be impossible to share all those experiences (some may need the individual’s explicit permission). Let me share one such experience, after seeking permission from the involved personality.
Need 2 hours of your time
After the death of Goenka, there was a tripartite family dispute in the IE group between 1991–95. Therefore, for 4 years, I did not involve directly in any of their activities, since I knew all of them very well. Still, my name was dragged and sullied. Eventually, in the capacity of a family well-wisher, I played a role in settling those disputes. I did not write in IE during those years. “The Statesman” editor, Khushru Irani gave the space & freedom to write. I wrote about Harshad Mehta in 1992–93. Cho made me write in Thuglaq and introduced me to the Tamil readers. Globalization was the prevailing trend and I was working with Sudeshi Jagran Manch. I had great experiences while working with society. Until 1991, I was staying at IE guest house and reduced my CA practice. Post-1991, I resumed my CA practice and started staying in the star hotels. The changes I went through during those years became another milestone & learning experience in my life.
Once, I was staying at the Oberoi hotel in Delhi. By then (in 1994) assembly elections had happened in Karnataka. One afternoon, I got a phone call, “ Hello, Mr.Gurumurthy, This is S.M.Krishna and you might have heard about my name. I wanted to meet you and need 2 hours to discuss something in detail”. I was surprised to get the call since there was no connection between us. He was the speaker of the Karnataka assembly between 1989–93 and their Deputy CM in 1993. In the 1994 elections, Congress had lost and Deva Gowda had become the CM. I had a few questions about the meeting and gave him an appointment between 6–7.30 pm. I had a tight schedule and squeezed some time for him.
What should I do to gain everyone’s acceptance?
At 5 pm, he came to my room and was sharply dressed. He wanted to know how to get everyone’s acceptance. I was taken aback and told him that since we do not each other, it would be difficult for me to answer. I asked him the reason for selecting me. He told me that he did the required study and arrived at a decision to reach out to me. He was willing to share details about him.
I told him that two factors are essential for someone to succeed in public life
- They should have income/assets of their own
- None of the person’s relatives should have or seem to have benefitted, directly
He said, “I have sufficient funds and can assure that none of my relatives were directly benefitted. Please share your advice”. I was clueless and meditated on Kanchi Mahaswami.
Don’t declare anyone as your enemy/opponent and do not allow others to declare that you are their enemy
We discussed our experiences. Then, I said, “Sir, I learned from my experience that help from the friends will be helpful but trouble from the enemies will trouble us more. Let me share a gem from Sukra-neethi and there is no copyright for this. Do not declare anyone as your enemy and do not allow others to declare you as their enemy. If you succeed in this then you will gain everyone’s acceptance. The minimum thing is that no one will oppose you. Sukracharya was the Guru of Asuras. They refused to listen to him and paid the price. Politics is also the field for such as uric plays. Our first play is to not to reveal our enmity towards anyone; we may have it in the heart”. He replied that he was able to get the gist and can implement the 1st suggestion. But he wanted to know how to implement the 2nd one.
I said,” If someone declares you as their enemy then immediately talk to them and visit their house to strengthen your ties. This applies to your relationship with the media too”. He said that I have understood it fully but am curious to know why you are not implementing this idea. Then, I replied that I was not trying to gain everyone’s acceptance and need to oppose some, as part of my duty. He further said, “ I don’t declare anyone as my enemy but perceived by some when I expose their corruption scandals”. Then he left the place and I went to receive Arun Jaitley. They shook hands and Jaitley was curious to know the reason behind the strange relationship. I could not share the truth and the next day, the news about our meeting spread.
Do you remember me?
After that strange meeting, we did not meet each other. There was a reason behind it. Since 1997, I was opposing Sonia’s coterie (who had become the party president by locking Seetharam Kesari in the bathroom). Therefore, my congress friends & acquaintances stayed away from me. In the 1999 elections, Congress polled the majority in the assembly and Krishna became their CM.
I exposed the double face of Sonia in IE (how was continuing with Italian citizenship and her disinterest towards this country). Krishna would send a word of appreciation through his secretary and would never call me directly.
In 2001, I was at the finance ministry and discussing with Yashwant Sinha. An all-party delegation of MPs had come to FM to hand over a request. It was more of a photo opportunity session. Sinha told me to wait and had gone to meet them. Krishna approached me and asked, whether I remember him? I said, “ Certainly, yes and what is surprising is that you remember me”. He whispered in my ears that he had implemented my suggestions.
After that, we never met each other for some time. Ananth Kumar, Karnataka BJP leader came to Chennai and wanted to understand the reason behind BJP’s failure in the assembly election (though it won in the parliament elections). Without referring to my meeting, I replied that Krishna does not have enemies and it would be difficult for the BJP until he continues.
Meetings in 2004, 2006 & 2008
In 2004, at the end of Krishna’s tenure, SJM held its conference in Bengaluru. His secretary invited us for a lunch meeting with Krishna. We discussed only Swadeshi and nothing else. Again, I met him on two occasions — in a flight journey in 2006 and Manoj Sonthalia’s son’s wedding in 2008. In 2008, we had a detailed discussion about the state of Indian polity and Congress’ role. In 1994, I had briefed Advani about our meeting. Advani told me to invite him to BJP and I did not agree with that.
S.M.Krishna is a respectable leader widely accepted in Congress. Though, we could not carry our relationship deeply but were on good terms at all times. When I sought his permission to write about this episode, he gave me the go-ahead. Indeed, he is a great personality too.
