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| Sunday, May 16, 2004 |
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| Sunday, May 16, 2004 |
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Samay ke Chehray
Chroniclers know better than anybody else that those who leave an indelible imprint on the sands of time serve as the lampposts of that particular period. They are also the faces of that time. The book, a collection of 70 small pieces of writing, covers a short period — from February 1996 to December 2001— but a very significant one. These few years saw remarkable changes in India and as well as the rest of the world. This period will be remembered in India particularly for the most successful non-Congress government at the Centre, which lasted a full term. The write-ups included in the book are mostly on Indian personalities. However, the inclusion of a few pieces on foreign personalities points to an effort on the writer’s part to ensure that the picture of the period does not remain incomplete. Two significant Indian political personalities commented upon by the writer — Gulzarilal Nanda and Dr Sharkardayal Sharma — are no longer in our midst. Gulzarilal Nanda, who officiated as Prime Minister twice, was one of those rare jewels of India remembered for their adherence to the values dear to them. He should have rightfully got the Bharat Ratna much earlier than in the evening of his life when he got it. Dr Sharma, the ninth President of India, earned the respect of one and all by upholding the values associated with the highest constitutional post in the country.
Three key figures from Pakistan, India’s most significant neighbour, figure in the book. These are General Pervez Musharraf, deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and journalist-turned-diplomat Maleeha Lodi. History will take due note of General Musharraf and Nawaz Sharif because of their role at a crucial time. Nawaz Sharif will be known not only for having emerged as the most powerful democratically elected Prime Minister of Pakistan but also for his pioneering role in the privatisation programme of his country. General Musharraf found himself in power during the most trying time in Pakistan’s history. But his foxy traits enabled his country to weather the storm unharmed. The beauty of the book lies in the fact that the write-ups on various personalities are short and packed with information. These have already appeared in Dainik Tribune, edited by the writer, but this has no bearing on their significance. The language used is simple and easily understandable by anyone having even a rudimentary knowledge of Hindi. |
THE writer says that the reader may get perplexed
when he reads Samay ke Chehray (Faces of Time) on the cover. The
reason, he points out, is that time doesn’t have a face. History is
basically a collage of those who have influenced the course of time.
That is why, in the author’s opinion, history is more a reflection of
the actions of the rulers of a particular time than of the hopes and
aspirations of the ordinary people and their way of life. This is, no
doubt, an indisputable truth, but not the whole of it.
Among the non-Indian personalities who find mention
in the book are British Prime Minister Tony Blair, US Secretary of State
Colin Powell, America’s independent public prosecutor Kenneth Star —
he grilled President Bill Clinton during the enquiry into Clinton’s
controversial relationship with former White House intern Monica
Lewinsky — and Afghanistan’s most dreaded warlord General Abdur
Rashid Dostam.
