Last Updated:
Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s softness evaporated during the war, says a new book by former aide Ashok Tandon
Vajpayee warned Clinton about the consequences if Pakistan did not withdraw from the Indian territory it had intruded upon, says the book. File image/Getty
Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee always had the image of a peacenik and a poet-politician, contrasting with LK Advani’s aggressive speeches of the nineties. However, according to a new book by former Vajpayee aide Ashok Tandon, during the heat of the India-Pakistan war, Vajpayee sent a “secret letter” to then US President Bill Clinton. In this letter, he warned Clinton about the consequences if Pakistan did not withdraw from the Indian territory it had intruded upon, a warning that seemed uncharacteristic of Vajpayee’s soft persona.
Having just returned from meeting then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and after starting the Delhi-Lahore bus service, the Pakistani army’s intrusion was a political embarrassment for Vajpayee.
“During the war, Atal Bihari Vajpayee sent a ‘secret letter’ to then-US President Bill Clinton, making it clear that if Pakistani intruders did not withdraw from Indian territory, they would be expelled one way or another. India also prepared a ‘Six Day War’ plan, deploying troops in a manner that would allow the India-Pakistan border to be crossed in less than a week if necessary,” reads the book “Atal Sansmaran”, launched in Delhi on Wednesday.
Vajpayee’s softness evaporated during the war, argues the author, citing an old interview from that time when he publicly defied US pressure for talks with Pakistan. “Unless the Pakistani Army leaves Kargil, there can be no discussion on any issue,” Vajpayee was quoted back then.
Tandon sums up Vajpayee’s role as “the right person in the right position at the right time”.
The memoir by Ashok Tandon—Vajpayee’s media adviser—frames this moment as emblematic of Vajpayee’s nuanced approach to crisis management and international engagement. A blend of quiet strength and unmistakable firmness that shaped Vajpayee, the strongman India has rarely seen.
December 18, 2025, 21:55 IST
Read More
