Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Birthday celebrated as Good Governance Day, comment?.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the former prime minister of India and founder member of the ruling party, B.J.P. is a well known personality in politics.

His birthday was celebrated as Good Governance Day by the government and it created a bone of contention among the two national parties and gave rise to a national dispute.

Politics is one profession among the many which is generally viewed as the most corrupt profession and politicians are morally wrong person and the single reason for the backwardness of the nation by the ordinary citizens of the country. Staying in the politics for more than 60 years as active politician, both in opposition and the ruling party and retiring from it without any allegation on the character is one rare achievement. Atal Bihari Vajpayee is one such politician who have this outstanding achievement. Not only the members of his party but also his critics praise for his far sightedness, humbleness and strategic abilities. He handled a coalition government of about 26 parties and completed its full term tenure. The poet turned politician has achievement such as successful nuclear Pokharan-2 test, winning of Kargil war, starting of golden quadrilateral national expressway, growth rate of 5 percent or above per annum. He formulated some very good national policies such as Kisan credit card and maintaining better foreign relation with U.S.A. and China.

He was the first politician to speak in Hindi in U.N. assembly, thus highlighting our language at international level. .

Good Governance means a government based on development orientation, transparency and early and easy deliverance of results to public. Vajpayee strived for all the throughout his tenure. Observing a Good Governance Day at his birthday will be testimony of his lifelong service. Moreover, observing Good Governance Day will continuously remind of the government that the ruling party should be impartial, development oriented and development should cover all the sectors of the society for whom Vajpayee devoted his life.

But as we know, every coin has two faces. Undoubtedly, Vajpayee was a successful prime minister but his tenure experienced certain failures such as Indian airlines hijack by Taliban, attack of terrorists on parliament and riots in Gujarat. Observing Good Governance Day on his birthday will be an acknowledgement of his merits but his failures too cannot be neglected. Moreover, these days there has been a trend by the ruling parties that they name certain days of the year in the memory of their founders or give important national awards to social figures who support them. It also leave a negative image of government on public by glorifying only its leader and not looking of leader of others with respect as a whole.

So, to conclude with, the former prime minister was a rare politician having no character drawback-be it corruption, favourism or personal allegation. He devoted his whole life on nationalist ideal and worked until became bed ridden. He certainly deserves awards and respect from the fellow countrymen and these have bestowed on him by the governments from time to time. The declaration of Good governance day should not become merely symbolical and titular just like other national days such as Children's day, Martyr's day, National youth day whose significance is to organize cultural events in school, colleges, and government offices or an accumulation of one more day in the list of holidays.

The former prime minister will be honored in true sense if the ideals of good governance are strengthened on grounds and the people's belief in democratic system is strengthened and this declaration just not become merely another surfacial announcement..

Aditya Narayan Srivastav