'Rahul Bhai would take on Modi or anybody, if he felt something was not in the favour of the nation'

'Rahul Bhai was well known for speaking the truth.'
'He did not accept anything he considered wrong.'

Pratap Ashar has been on the board of steel major Mukand Ltd for many, many years.

He was a special friend and confidante of the late Rahul Bajaj, chairman of the Bajaj group of companies, who died last week. They knew each other for 50 years and were just a year apart in age and shared an affectionate and genial relationship.

Since Mr Ashar hasn't been well himself for a while, Vaihayasi Pande Daniel/Rediff.com spoke to his son Samir Ashar about the ties Mr Ashar had with Mr Bajaj:

My dad is still on the board of Mukand Ltd, which is a Bajaj company. Dad has been associated with the Mukand group for like 65 years,

Initially, Mukand was part of a Shah-Bajaj group -- (industrialist) Viren Shah and Rahul Bajaj. After the death of Mr Viren Shah, they recently parted, amicably, and now it's a totally a Bajaj company.

Dad worked for Viren Shah for many years.

During the initial days of the Emergency, when Viren Shah was in jail (in 1976, charged apparently with helping George Fernandes procure dynamite to blow up government establishments) and Rahul Bajaj was the chairman of the Bajaj group, Dad reported directly to Rahul Bajaj.

He worked under Rahul Bajaj for almost a year or so. And during that period, they had a very good bonding. The stature of Rahul Bajaj was much, much, much greater, but they were more like friends.

My father Pratap was very active in the Bharatiya Janata Party and in politics through (BJP leader) Pramod Mahajan. He was like serving in the background of the party and he was the treasurer for BJP Maharashtra for almost 15 years. He still is the vice- president of BJP Maharashtra.

He was a very senior person in the party and in political circles, due to Viren Shah, due to Pramod Mahajan, due to lots of contacts in industries and everywhere.

Rahul Bhai would come once a week from Pune to Bajaj Bhavan (Nariman Point, south Mumbai) because he handled all the other Bajaj companies also. Whenever he came from Pune for one hour he would sit with Dad. He would say: 'Ashar, I have come. Whenever you are free, you come'. He used to say it that way.

They would discuss lot of political things, government politics, current scenarios, finance, everything.

Later on, he came less to Mumbai. They then had long conversations on the phone instead. Whenever Rahul Bhai's phone call came, it would last like 45 minutes, half an hour, like that.

Basically, he was a very outspoken person. He even would take on Narendra Modi or anybody, if he felt something was wrong, or not in favour of the nation. After that he would speak to Dad: 'I have done this. Is it right or wrong?' They discussed everything. Yes, he (Rahul Bajaj) was well known for speaking the truth.

My dad would agree (with his viewpoint) also sometimes and he would disagree also and give the reasons why.

They had a very cordial relationship. They would discuss a lot of things. Recently, every week, Sunday like around 11 o'clock, 12 o'clock, they would have a call together for almost 40-45 minutes or half an hour.

They would discuss Mukand. Lately, he was not taking interest (involved) in the day-to-day at Mukand. Even at Bajaj Auto he handed over everything to Sanjiv and Rajiv (his sons) and was not taking interest in day-to-day affairs of that company either.

But he would discuss with my dad: 'How is Mukand doing? What is your opinion? What should we do?'

So, discussions were about even company matters, as well as political issues, everything,

I have met him many times and spoken to him many times on the phone. Like I said, Rahul Bhai was a very outspoken person. And a very friendly and warm man. But at same time, he did not accept anything he considered wrong.

Approachable? Very much an approachable person. My dad was admitted to the hospital two years back before COVID-19. I had to put him on dialysis. He had CKD (chronic kidney disease).

As soon as I brought him home from the hospital, and even during his hospital stay also, I spoke to him (Rahul Bajaj). He would tell me: 'You please keep me updated on everything', though he himself was also not well, since last one, one-and-a-half years, two years.

Majority of the time their conversations were in Hindi. Sometimes in English. In Hindi especially when there were elections all over the nation, or in Maharashtra, or any state (and the discussions were on that).

He would say (ponder in Hindi on issues like): 'Bhai, mujhe nahin lag raha hai ki UP mein BJP ayegee (Brother, I don't think the BJP will win in Uttar Pradesh)'

Or: 'Yahan par yeh karna chahiye (This needs to be done here)'.

Or: 'Yahan par jo kar rahein apne Party ko nuksan hoga (What they are doing here will damage the cause of the Party ie the BJP)' He would give his opinions and suggestions then, always in Hindi.

He was very much interested in social issues also.

Apart from finance, industries, commerce, even the social issues were of interest to him, like, for instance, if the government was taking any decisions regarding the Maratha issue or anything else.

He would say, about social issues: 'Government ko yeh nahin karna chahiye (in the context of a social change) Government ko turant karna chahiye. Fayda hoga (The government should not do this or it should do this quickly. It will bring greater good)'.

Originally, he was very much of a Congressman, basically very Gandhian. But after Atalji (Atal Bihari Vajpayee), he was a little more of a BJP man. He had a few issues with Mr Modi's (policies) and he spoke out two or three times. But otherwise, he was not against the BJP, though he had more friends in the Congress like (former minister) Murli Deora, (Nationalist Congress Party leader) Sharad Pawar and everybody.

He was very much a foodie type. Dad would to send him special food from Bombay to Pune on every birthday (June 10). Or during the winter.

In winter there are a lot of varieties of special food. Like you get the ponkh from Surat. And kachoris. So, Dad sent him sal mein doh-teen-chaar baar khana -- unko bahut pasand thi, especially mung dal kachoris (Dad would send him meals or snacks maybe 2-3-4 times a year. He loved it). He loved food.

Whenever he came to Bajaj Bhavan, Dad would take kachoris for him. Mostly they had lunch together, if Mr Bajaj did not have any meeting or no one was coming over. He would say: 'Ashar, let's have lunch. Come.'

Maybe one-and-a-half months ago dad spoke to him and Dad told him that I have not sent anything recently. He said 'Kahan yeh sab kha paounga?. Doctor khane nahin denge (Now how can I eat all this? The doctors won't let me)'.

They have not met after COVID-19 began. My dad last spoke to him one-and-a-half months back. Last one month or so he was not speaking to anybody on the phone. He was hospitalised.

My dad wrote in a letter to the Bajaj family, 'When Samir told me about his demise, there were tears in my eyes as I lost a dear and genuine boss, well-wisher, friend and guidance-giving family member'.

Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com