Pak Woman’s Proposal, Kashmir ‘Gift’ and Vajpayee’s Witty Reply Recalled

As India marked the 101st birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recalled lesser-known anecdotes that showcased Vajpayee’s trademark wit, humour and diplomatic finesse—qualities that often softened tense moments without compromising national interest.

Speaking at a commemorative event, Rajnath Singh revisited Vajpayee’s landmark Lahore Bus Yatra in February 1999, a peace initiative that culminated in the signing of the Lahore Declaration aimed at easing India-Pakistan tensions in the aftermath of nuclear tests.

One memorable incident from that visit, Singh said, involved an unmarried Pakistani woman who was deeply impressed by Vajpayee’s speech. She reportedly proposed marriage to the Indian leader and, in jest, asked for Kashmir as a gift. Vajpayee, known for his razor-sharp humour, responded that he was willing to marry her—but would expect the whole of Pakistan as dowry. The remark, Singh noted, drew laughter while underlining Vajpayee’s unwavering stand on Kashmir.

Rajnath Singh also highlighted Vajpayee’s humour during difficult personal and political moments. Recalling the Emergency period, he said Vajpayee, who was detained at the time, once visited All India Institute of Medical Sciences for severe back pain. When doctors asked if the pain was due to bending, Vajpayee quipped that he did not know how to bend in life and must have merely “turned somewhere,” reflecting both resilience and wit even under pressure.

Another anecdote came from 2006, during the Congress-led UPA government, when journalists asked Vajpayee whether then external affairs minister Natwar Singh had been made a scapegoat in the Iraq oil-for-food controversy. Vajpayee’s succinct reply—“I am a vegetarian”—was widely seen as a sharp yet subtle comment that avoided direct political mudslinging.

A recipient of the Bharat Ratna, Vajpayee passed away on August 16, 2018, at the age of 93. Even years after his death, stories like these continue to underline why he remains one of India’s most respected statesmen—someone who blended humour, humanity and hard diplomacy with rare ease.