Surender Sharma on Indira Gandhi: Poet Surendra Sharma has graced many stages in his career spanning over 5 decades and has been a part of many Kavi Sammelans. He was also awarded Padma Shri for his commendable work in literature. 81-year-old comic poet Surendra Sharma recently made his appearance in TV9 Bharatvarsha’s special podcast Na Kahun Se Bair. During this, along with talking about the literature of the current era, he also discussed politics. During this time, he shared his experiences related to meeting great leaders like Indira Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Surendra Sharma was asked that in today’s times sentiments get hurt very easily. What does he have to say on this? The poet said on this – This has happened because in today’s era even the writer has the intention to hurt. He wants the other person to be hurt. If anything is written with this intention then the other person will also be hurt. It won’t hurt if you don’t write like that.
The poet was asked how difficult it is for a comic poet to satirize politicians in front of politicians. Responding to this, Surendra Sharma said – Earlier it was not so much but now it has happened. Earlier everyone had tolerance power but now it is not there. In earlier times everyone used to listen. Be it Rajiv Gandhi, VP Singh or Indira Gandhi. I met Indira ji once. She didn’t know me. Jagannath Pahadia had taken me as he was a humorous poet so he had asked me to recite something.
When poet Surendra Sharma recited a poem to Indira Gandhi
Surendra Sharma told that this happened around 1978 when Indira Gandhi had lost the elections. During that time, Surendra had recited poems written on Janata Party to Indira Gandhi. The party was taking time to choose a new Prime Minister, so there was a poem on that. There were other such poems which Indira Gandhi became very happy after hearing. After this Indira Gandhi asked whether anything was written on us also. So Surendra ji had written a poem named Reason for the defeat of Congress. It was a satire on Sanjay Gandhi. But Indira Gandhi laughed even after hearing this.
Read this also- Surender Sharma Podcast: How were the earlier poetry conferences? What did Surendra Sharma say on competition among today’s writers?
Mention of meeting with Atal Bihari Vajpayee
While narrating the story of his meeting with Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Surendra Sharma said – It happened once or twice that I got a chance to share the stage with Atal ji. No leader was born who respected democracy more than him. People should learn from him how politics is done. No one can give a better example of respect for politics than Vajpayee ji. Atal ji was invited to a poetry conference at Talkatora Stadium. He was the Prime Minister at that time. I was the one conducting the operations. It was during this time that I told him that he had to read poetry. So he said that he will come on stage but will not read the poem. He came and gave a speech and then sat down.
But his demand was increasing and the public wanted him to recite poetry. Then I tried to handle the matter and explained it to the public. I told the public that you should understand that even if a poet becomes the Prime Minister, he does not read poetry without taking payment. On hearing this he got up and recited the poem.
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