Ex-President Venkataraman dies
A die hard Congressman, Venkataraman earned for himself a reputation for fair play during his tenure in India’s highest constitutional office.
By ET Bureau |
NEW DELHI: India���s eighth president Ramaswamy Venkataraman passed away on Tuesday. Elected to the post of President in 1987, Mr Venkataraman has distinction of working with four prime ministers in the course of his five year term. Of these, Mr Venkataraman appointed three���V P Singh, Chandrashekhar and Narasimha Rao.
A die hard Congressman, Venkataraman earned for himself a reputation for fair play during his tenure in India���s highest constitutional office. Much of this reputation was earned as he presided over an era when India began its experiment with coalition politics.
Aside from India���s venture into an age of fractured political mandate, Mr Venkataraman had to deal with tricky constitutional and political issues such as the Sri Lankan crisis, the Bofors Gun deal controversy, assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, the Defamation Bill and 1992 stock market scandal.
It is not without reason that leaders across the political spectrum described him as a true patriot, an outstanding figure and a versatile parliamentarian. In condoling his death, President Pratibha Patil said that the nation had lost a distinguished luminary. Vice-President Hamid Ansari said that the former president had left a distinct mark in the national polity with his ���innate simplicity, vast erudition and deep sensitivity for the poor and the deprived in his long public career.���
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that the former president would be ���remembered long for his service to the nation, the strength of character and his knowledge and wisdom.��� Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said in the death of Venkataraman, Indian politics had lost a ���guiding light���.
A die hard Congressman, Venkataraman earned for himself a reputation for fair play during his tenure in India���s highest constitutional office. Much of this reputation was earned as he presided over an era when India began its experiment with coalition politics.
Aside from India���s venture into an age of fractured political mandate, Mr Venkataraman had to deal with tricky constitutional and political issues such as the Sri Lankan crisis, the Bofors Gun deal controversy, assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, the Defamation Bill and 1992 stock market scandal.
It is not without reason that leaders across the political spectrum described him as a true patriot, an outstanding figure and a versatile parliamentarian. In condoling his death, President Pratibha Patil said that the nation had lost a distinguished luminary. Vice-President Hamid Ansari said that the former president had left a distinct mark in the national polity with his ���innate simplicity, vast erudition and deep sensitivity for the poor and the deprived in his long public career.���
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that the former president would be ���remembered long for his service to the nation, the strength of character and his knowledge and wisdom.��� Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said in the death of Venkataraman, Indian politics had lost a ���guiding light���.
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