Shatrughan Sinha's campaign trademark: Every speech starts with 'Khamosh'

Silence also tells its own story. There must be a good reason why I became disloyal, says Shatrughan Sinha

Trespassing former chief

Former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Dalbir Singh Suhag, was named ambassador to Seychelles a few days ago by the same party that opposed his appointment as COAS. He was placed under a “disciplinary and vigilance ban” by General V K Singh, the then Army Chief and currently a minister of state in the Ministry of External Affairs. Subsequently, V K Singh did everything to stymie General Suhag’s appointment to any post. Now, if General V K Singh returns to the Ministry of External Affairs, General Suhag will report to him. Elections seem to have played a central role in General Suhag’s life. He was appointed Army Chief by the Congress-led UPA-2 government on May 14, 2014, just two days before the Lok Sabha election results were announced. Now, with weeks to go for the announcement of results a full five years later, he has got a post-retirement position. The question is, how did the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) pick up the courage to overlook and ignore V K Singh?

 
‘Silence tells its own story’

It has to be a campaign to beat all campaigns. Shatrughan Sinha begins every campaign speech with “Khamosh”! (Silence) then adds, “ki main sankshep mein kuch points boloonga (I will be brief).” At one place, someone in the crowd shouted out: “Don’t be brief. Give us all the details.” To which Sinha replied, “Shanti mein bhi kranti hoti hai. Kuch toh majboori hogi jo main bewafaa hua (Silence also tells its own story. There must be a good reason why I became disloyal”).