Jaipal Reddy was an articulate parliamentarian, scholarly politician: Sinha

Senior Congress leader S Jaipal Reddy was an articulate parliamentarian and a scholarly politician, with a thorough knowledge of parliamentary rules, former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha said on Wednesday.

''...he (Jaipal Reddy) used to put across his point with a lot of strength by quoting the rule book.And, when he expressed his point, nobody could cut (counter) it.

Jaipal was a man of unique talent.That's why, I was not surprised when Jaipal had told me that he has written a book by name 'Ten ideologies','' Sinha said.

He was speaking in a virtual event Wednesday evening after releasing the Hindi translation of Jaipal Reddy's book 'Ten ideologies - The great asymmetry between agrarianism and industrialism' - 'Dus Vichardharayen- Gramyavad aur Udyogvad ka Beechme Mahavishsamta' - on the occasion of Jaipal Reddy's second death anniversary.

Recalling his association and friendship with Reddy since both had worked together in Janata Dal, Sinha said Jaipal Reddy had called him three years ago and spoke about his book 'Ten ideologies'.

Sinha said he had written, in a commentary on the book, that he would have thought that the book was authored by a professor of political science in a big university had he not known that it was written by Jaipal Reddy.

When Jaipal Reddy spoke English, people used to look in the dictionaries for the meanings of words spoken by him, he said.

Jaipal Reddy was also physically very active, not just mentally, though he was physically handicapped, he said.

Sinha said he and Jaipal Reddy used to meet in the central hall of parliament as old friends after a heated debate in parliament at a time when both were in different parties.

He regretted that several good traditions and values in public life no longer existed now.

Congress leader Sachin Pilot, psephologist and activist Yogendra Yadav, and senior journalist Neerja Chowdhury spoke on the occasion.PTI SJR BN BALA BN BALA