On April 14 then PrimeMinister Atal Behari Vajpayee issued an unprecedented public appeal to his "old friend" RamJethmalani to reconsider his decision to contest the elections against Vajpayee. Was there a behind-the-scenesdeal struck between the two, as some alleged? Former law minister Jethmalani, in a candid interview withSheela Reddy, flails out at his friend-turned-opponent, admitting that he did redraft a portion of Vajpayee'sstatement and claims it was the pointed questions he posed about Vajpayee's failing health that frightenedthe ex-Prime Minister's camp into tendering him a public apology.
During the elections when you decided to contest against Atal Behari Vajpayee, he issued a writtenstatement publicly appealing to you to step down because you were an old friend. Can you tell me what reallyhappened?
Nothing much, really. Some people like Lalji Tandon had attacked me in very foul language. I had asked thefirst 10 questions on him (Vajpayee) that if you have this kind of a captain who descends into the gutter, howcan you prevent me asking you questions like when do you get up, what medicines do you take, what diseases doyou suffer from, are you able to walk, what is your attention span, all that. Some friends intervened andsaid, alright, forget it (suggests a deal in return for an apology from the then Prime Minister for hiselection agent Tandon's words). They brought some kind of draft (statement to be issued publicly by Vajpayee)of the last paragraph only.
What was that paragraph?
It merely said: "Some statements have been made about Mr Jethmalani which should never have beenmade." I told the people who brought this: "What the hell are you talking about, what statement ishe talking about? He (Vajpayee) should specify that his own party people in the course of his electioncampaign said these things." I corrected it and gave it to them, saying, "This is the least that hecan say if he wants to apologise for Lalji Tandon's outburst."
Basically you specified that Lalji Tandon should be mentioned in the last para?
At least, they should identify the statements that were made during the course of the election campaign bymy (Vajpayee's) people that should never have been made. There were also statements in the press about me thatshould never have been made.
About the questions themselves that you were asking--how much truth was there in them, about hishealth?
Every bit of them is true. I asked 60 questions about him, everyday 10 or 11, and all of them were true.
Can you comment more on his health from what you know about him?
I don't want to go into that now. I merely want to explain about that (Vajpayee's) statement--I did correcta portion of the statement which of course was the last paragraph. He (Vajpayee) added (the rest) about MrJethmalani is an old friend, why does he want to contest and so on and so forth--that had nothing to do withme.
Was the "old friend" your addition?
No, no. I only corrected that paragraph about the apology, about what Lalji Tandon had said.
Is it true your son was very upset (with you) about this letter affair?
Everybody was upset; all my friends were upset. So what? It's a matter of judgement.
What is your true opinion about Vajpayee?
My opinion is that he was in no sense in a position to rule this country, that he was being ruled byothers. He was just enjoying his prime ministership.
Are you saying it was L.K. Advani who ruled?
I don't know. Obviously, he was deputy prime minister, he was in control.
Are you saying Vajpayee was not physically fit to rule?
Of course, yes. The man had lost his grip. Everyday he was slurring in his speech. Forgets facts. The manshould have retired, at least it would have been an honourable exit.
When do you think he should have retired?
At least a year ago. Now all these people are saying that Gujarat cost them dear, Venkaiah Naidu is sayingJayalalitha cost us dear. When I saw him (Vajpayee) on the 8th of March, I raised only these three issues:Jayalalitha, Modi and Tehelka. On the 7th, I held a press conference where I said I was sorely disappointedwith this government and said that democracy was like a swimming pool where if you don't change the water, itbecomes a cesspool. It had become a cesspool and required to be cleaned up.
So what was Vajpayee's response to that?
His response was that he met me (the next day) on the 8th. And I went to him and told him: "You aredriving me into the opposition. You are leaving me no option; no respectable person can continue to bear whatis happening." So I gave him these three things: to wind up the Tehelka commission, don't have anyalliance with Jayalalitha, and third, at least make some penance for Gujarat, at least, allow the SupremeCourt to transfer all cases.
And how did Vajpayee respond?
Nothing. Response kya, he doesn't respond to anything. It's just water off a duck's back. Because he had nocontrol over things-- he didn't know how to manage the RSS, the L.K. Advanis and the Arun Jaitleys. My god,that man (Jaitley) has given them wrong legal advice right from the first day. On every important matter, hehas given them the wrong advice. First he attacked the Election Commission, saying that it had created aconstitutional crisis and something had to be done within six months, which was wrong. Then he appeared forthe BJP before the Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court laughed out his arguments. People don't realise whatthis man is doing. And then he is the product of Narendar Modi. He was elected from Gujarat with Modi's help.When the Supreme Court ultimately transferred one of the cases, it passed severe strictures against thegovernment's legal adviser. Arun Jaitley should have resigned.
Did you say all this to Vajpayee?
I did. But he didn't say anything, just his benign smile. He and Lal Advani have become intellectual twins.I have been his (Vajpayee's) friend, he has never been my friend.
Then why did you agree to drop out of the poll contest with Vajpayee?
I never agreed. On the very first day (after Vajpayee's appeal was published) I said it was my nationalduty (to contest against Vajpayee).
But you were willing to consider dropping out if he changed the drafting of the statement?
No, no, not at all. I merely agreed that I will not persist in the questioning only.
That you would stop the 10 questions that you were posing everyday?
Stop questions on those lines, not all questions.
Relating to his health, you mean?
Yes.
Basically to stop attacking him personally?
It's not a question of personal attack. That also is wrong. A politician's health is a matter of nationalconcern.
How serious really were his health problems?
According to me, it is very serious. You saw on 15th August (at Red Fort to deliver the Independence Dayspeech) he left one shoe in the car?
But that is something any absent-minded old man may have done. ..
But if you say he is an absent-minded old man, he is not fit to rule this complex country. It was not justthat one instance--you saw during the course of his election speeches the number of errors he made... I don'tknow what he is taking, but I can see from his physiognomy that he is living on hormones. You can see from hisround face, it's obvious that hormones are being pumped into the man.
How often did you meet him?
I was seeing him for the first time on 8th March after years. I tried to meet him before that but he nevermet me.
Why?
I don't know. Possibly someone tried to poison his ears, but I don't want to go into that. My opinion ofhim had already formed by the time I met him on 8th March, but I made that last-minute desperate effort tochange it.
But there were those two crucial days of silence in between when it looked like you were reconsideringyour decision to contest against Vajpayee?
You know that my son was not well and I went to London. I didn't know how long I had to stay there. I neversaid (that I would reconsider my decision). On the contrary, after he (Vajpayee) made that appeal, I said thatit (contesting against him) was a matter of national duty, not a matter of friendship. I didn't know how longI would remain in London. Fortunately, I could return in time, and I did.
Why did you have to resign from the Vajpayee government?
I don't know, baba. That's another story I don't want to go into. He called for my resignation, he is thePrime Minister, and I resigned.
AttorneyGeneral Soli Sorabjee has said that you blamed him for your dismissal from the government. Did he haveanything to do with it?
I don't want to go into that. I don't want to open up those wounds.
You later accused Sorabjee of advising the Hindujas on the Bofors case.
He (Sorabjee) had gone to the Hindujas' solicitor's office in London and given advice to the Hindujas.
But he had taken permission from the government for that...
What bloody permission! Who was there to give him permission? You can't take permission to do somethingimproper.
But you also ended up giving advice to the Hindujas, and at a much higher fee than Sorabjee hadcharged...
Why should I not give advice to the Hindujas? I am not a public prosecutor. He (Sorabjee) is anattorney-general, a law officer to the government. He is not supposed to give advice to any private party in amatter relating to the government.
Did you have any differences with Vajpayee while you were in the government?
Plenty. The way he behaved about the appointment of the solicitor general. The way he related toJayalalitha. Many differences-- I threatened to resign more than once. On the telecom policy we had majordifferences. I have no doubt that from that day they were trying to get rid of me.
