Atal Bihari Vajpayee, as Foreign Minister, addressing the United Nations in Hindi (symbolic file)
New Delhi: Former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the first Indian to deliver a speech in Hindi at the United Nations. In the year 1977, he had increased its prestige by giving a speech in Hindi language on the UN platform. On October 4, 1977, on the occasion of the 32nd session of the United Nations, former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee won the hearts of crores of Indians by giving a speech in Hindi. At that time there was a Third Front government in the country and he was the Foreign Minister of India.
After this speech of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the members of the United Nations stood up and applauded. Atal was also the first non-Congress Foreign Minister of India. He had decided that he would address this conference of nations in his mother tongue. For the first time, he was addressing an international conference on such a big platform. But he had won the hearts of the world with his language and speech.
What did Atal say in the United Nations
Vajpayee, the then Foreign Minister of India, included many global issues in his speech. This included the emerging issue of apartheid in South Africa, the war in Cyprus, instability in Namibia and colonialism in Zimbabwe. In his address, Atal Bihari Vajpayee said that he again wants to express India’s strong faith in the United Nations. It has been only 6 months since our Third Front Janata Government came to power, but we have had remarkable achievements in such a short period of time. Fundamental human rights have been re-established in India. The atmosphere of fear and terror which surrounded our people has now gone away. Constitutional steps are now being taken to ensure that democracy and fundamental freedoms are never violated again. The people of India want to bring about a socio-economic revolution in a peaceful manner, which is democratically based, based on moral and spiritual ideas along with socialist ideals.
Important opinion given on apartheid in South Africa and Palestine
During this time, while speaking on the apartheid of South Africa, he said – Are we trying to assure justice and dignity to the entire human society i.e. men, women and children, the challenge in Africa is clear. The question is, do people have the right to live with freedom and dignity or will a minority that believes in apartheid and racism always continue to inflict injustice and oppression on the vast majority? On the issue of Palestine, he said that millions of people there who have been forcibly evicted from their homes cannot be deprived of the right to return to their homes. He had said that the recent attempt by Israel to change the population in the occupied areas by establishing settlements in the West Bank and Gaza, the United Nations should completely reject and cancel it. If these problems are not resolved quickly, their ill effects may spread beyond.
All of you were introduced to the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.
The then Foreign Minister Vajpayee also introduced the world to India’s idea of ​​considering the entire world as its family during his speech at the United Nations. He said that India has always believed that for it the whole world is one family. This concept of Vasudhaiva Kutambakam is very old in our country. After many efforts and hardships, this dream is likely to be realized in the form of the UN, whose members come from almost all over the world.
India wants friendship with all
He said India wants friendship with all countries. Doesn’t want to establish his dominance over anyone. It is neither a nuclear power nor does it want to be. At the end of his address he said – I want to assure this General Assembly on behalf of India that we will never lag behind in the times of sacrifice and renunciation for the achievement of the ideals of one world, human welfare and its glory. Jai Jagat…Thank you.
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