Yashwant Sinha started out in government as a bureaucrat and rose to become India’s finance minister and then foreign minister. He recounts this long, eventful journey in autobiography, Relentless, which was published recently. Sinha sat down with Abhinandan Sekhri of Newslaundry to talk about his book, his life and work.

Abhinandan asks Sinha whether, as has always been speculated, the BJP was indeed divided between the “Atal camp” and the “Advani camp” during his time. “Yes,” he replies. “They were two different personalities enjoying jointly the top position in the BJP and it’s quite natural for chamchas to choose either this or that.”

Asked whether it is a new phenomenon in India that the media and the government seem like one entity, Sinha says, “The biggest damage that is being done today by the media is with respect to Kashmir. There is so much hatred among the people, especially of the valley, because of what is dished out every evening on our TV channels or what is written in our print media.”

He adds, “We have alienated the people of Kashmir more than anytime before.”

What does the former minister make of how India’s institutions are functioning today? “Institutions of democracy like the Election Commission, the Enforcement Directorate and even the Supreme Court have been compromised,” he complains.

So, if even the courts are comprised, Abhinandan asks, what should the ordinary Indian do? “When Mrs Indira Gandhi imposed the Emergency in this country, was it the courts or the Supreme Court that was fighting? No, they all fell in line.” he says. “Ultimately, in a democracy, it’s the people who will have to undo the imbalance and I have great faith in the people of this country.”


“We have alienated the people of Kashmir more than anytime before.”

This is the second part of a two-part interview.


Part one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXIIA-jJfCY


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