Twelve Years to the Month – it was May 6, 2002, when Atal Bihari Vajpayee clarified that while sharing a stage with the Narendra Modi, a month back on April 4, what precisely he, as the Prime Minister, had enjoined upon the chief minister to abide by in the aftermath of communal riots which had scarred Gujarat, albeit taking off from a train being burnt at Godhra, and more important how the latter had responded. It was a clarification, as categorical as it could be, amidst the infamous concept that Atal Bihari Vajpayee had upbraided Narendra Modi.

The author of this write up has dug into archives. And would stick by his story, with documentary evidence, should it be contradicted. Verbatim, it happened thus: On April 4, 2002 at the joint Atal-Modi press conference, when asked by one of the reporters: ''What message he will like to give the Gujarat Chief Minister ?” After a pause ( for which he famous for ), Atal Bihari Vajpayee said: “A ruler should follow Raj Dharma. Not differentiate between the subjects on the basis of caste or religion.. I always try to do so. I am sure Narendra Bhai is also doing so.”

Narendra Modi's response was: 'I am doing the same'. Not only was this altogether wiped off in the reportage; even the quip-original that “I am sure that Narendra Bhai is  (repeat is) also doing so” was whimsically re-worded to: “Narendra Modi should follow Raj Dharma.” (Interrogative verb 'is' became a definitive verb 'should' as if to sound that he were not doing so now nor had not done it so far.). Here, Atal Bihari Vajpayee wondered: “Whether there was no other way to follow Raj Dharma other than seeking the resignation of Modi ?” Going by the archives, the clarification was not highlighted but relegated to inside pages.

Mercifully, to the author's defence (who by his fundamental right is a politically-conscious citizen but has not been politically-affiliated to any party ever), the unedited version of the April 4 joint press conference and May 6 clarification, exists as a free-for-all-audio-video on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5W3RCpOGbQ. The author has revisited the print media archives thrice over. His conclusion: Reporters often go overboard, there after crowned with a catchy headline by an equally over-enthusiastic desk consecrates it as the gospel truth. 

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