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Journalism of Courage
Dada Saheb Phalke Award winner Bhupen Hazarika joined the BJP here today. The party may field him from Assam’s Tezpur Lok Sabha constituency. A multi-faceted personality, Hazarika, 78, is a poet, composer, actor, director and producer. A recipient of the Padma Bhushan, Hazarika is a former chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi. He has been an Independent Assam MLA for one term.
A beaming Sushma Swaraj, Health Minister and party spokesperson, presented Hazarika to the media. ‘‘I have brought a diamond,’’ she told them while introducing Hazarika. BJP vice-president Pyarelal Khandelwal, in charge of North-East, and general secretary Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi were also present.
Swaraj said Congress used to start its Lok Sabha tally from 25, given the fact that it used to make a clean sweep of North-East. ‘‘Now it would begin from zero because NDA has taken over the region.’’
Before asking him questions, reporters requested Hazarika to render a song. He obliged with Oh Ganga tum bahti ho kyun, inspired by legendary Black American singer Paul Robeson’s number The old man river.
He said: ‘‘Art should become an instrument for social change.’’ He pointed out that for it was ‘‘the first time in my life, I have become member of a political party’’. When asked if he had met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi last evening, Hazarika shot back: ‘‘Never in my life.’’ Instead, he said: ‘‘I got a telephone call from a prominent Congress leader saying that Sonia Gandhi wanted to invite me over tea today. But, I decided to come for rice to BJP with my younger sister Sushma Swaraj.’’
Reporters sought to know if he would contest a Lok Sabha seat. A little flustered, Hazarika whispered to Swaraj (which could be heard through the mike): ‘‘Can I say so?’’ He added: ‘‘I have given Rs 5 for party membership and whatever Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee, Deputy PM L.K. Advani and Sushma Swaraj and the party headquarters tell me, I will do so.’’
On Tezpur, he said: ‘‘I was brought up in Tezpur. From tonight, I will decide and analyse from where to contest.’’
When asked to spell out the reason for his entry in to the BJP, Hazarika said: ‘‘I have seen this government for five years. It has proved to be stable. The BJP knows how to run a government. And, my little sister (Sushma) likes bhajee and a glass of water like me and she, Vajpayee and Advani asked me to join the party.’’
He said: ‘‘My dream is to improve the conditions in North-East. Having been born near the Brahmaputra, I would like to be a good son of the soil.’’
