GAYA: It was March, 1992 when former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s held a ‘padyatra' in the massacre-hit villages, including Bara of the Tekari area of the district. The report captioned ‘Padyatra in a convoy of cars’ was carried as the front page anchor on March 12, 1992 issue of TOI, Patna. The 1000 word report showed both the ‘Yatra’ and the ‘Yatri’ in a poor light.The story mentioned how Vajpayee was ‘cold shouldered’ by the Dalits. It also said that the crowd at the two public meetings addressed by the leader was moderate and people started leaving the venue mid-way during the speech. A disappointed BJP supporter was quoted saying, “Vajpayee the once fiery speaker, lost bite along with his teeth.”The leader was served some hard stuff as breakfast by the local BJP leaders, who got a dressing down and subsequently ‘Dahi-Choora’ (curd and beaten rice) was arranged for him.The story took pot shot at his bachelor status as, it being a very auspicious day for marriage solemnisation, the leader encountered dozens of newlyweds during the 70 km road travel.The story also questioned the seriousness of BJP leaders during tragic hours as, while the BJP patriarch was hearing the wails of the survivors in Bara village in which in the house that lost seven of its male adults, state party chief Tarakant Jha and Dhanbad MP Rita Verma were sharing jokes a few feet away.It also quoted innocent villagers, some of whom mistook Vajpayee for Advani and the then home minister SB Chavan. A furious BJP district chief had then advised this reporter to quit journalism and instead join Muslim League. Vajpayee, who spent the night in the Gaya circuit house, read the report next morning. Interestingly, BJP media in charge Purnanand Tarwey conveyed the leader’s offer, inviting this reporter to accompany Vajpayee to Jehanabad and some other areas on day- 2 of his two-day Bihar visit. Vajpayee, according to Tarwey appreciated the presentation of facts.

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