Today, Maharashtra boasts many important cities. Cities grow in size and gain importance due to the vision of some people and their hard work. Essentially, every city has its own ecosystem. Jawaharlal Darda, also known as Babuji, knew very well that the weather, water, and resources of any city needed to be considered before planning its development. His understanding was not limited to the city but extended to the entire state; in fact, it was far broader.
Babuji’s Vision for City Development and Industrialization
I often say that the Butibori Industrial Estate near Nagpur could be set up during Babuji’s tenure as Industries Minister. However, it was during his tenure that the cities of Nashik and Sambhajinagar began to industrialize. It should be told to the present generation that Babuji laid the groundwork for hundreds of industries coming to Sambhajinagar’s industrial estates today. The leadership should review the past, live in the present, and also have an inkling of the future. Babuji had this ability. That is why he made decisions that changed the destiny of some cities. Those times were very different.
When Babuji was in state politics, the Congress had numerous leaders in Maharashtra. Many names can be listed, including Vasantrao Naik, Sudhakarrao Naik, Barrister A R Antulay, Vilasrao Deshmukh, and Sushilkumar Shinde. However, Jawaharlal Ji was one of those individuals who got along well with all of them and worked hard to resolve any disagreements they had. His temperament, style of work, and overall personality were such that his words carried a lot of weight in the Congress party organization. As a result, no one ignored what he said. It is difficult to be like this in politics. However, his style of communicating, even with opponents, was very different. When thoughts take center stage instead of individuals, the contours of politics become broader. Speaking about Babuji, I feel this intensely.
Building Strong Relationships in Maharashtra Politics
Jawaharlal Ji was senior to me, but he never acted superior. Our relationship was very close and amicable. There are only a few leaders who can interact with the younger generation in their own language. Babuji used to communicate with us and accommodate the new generation. So, we felt that he was a bridge between the two generations. Although the late Yashwantrao Chavan was my political mentor, I learned new things from many people in politics and the social field. Jawaharlal Ji’s name is foremost among them. He constantly showed me the right path, sometimes as a guide, sometimes as a friend. Positivity is very important in politics. For this, you need to be noble as a human being. Babuji possessed grace and a friendly nature. He believed that there is a human being beyond differences.
Another noteworthy characteristic of his is worth mentioning. Despite his seniority in age and achievements, he never pretended to be superior. While working in my cabinet, he would often ask me and other colleagues about the ideas in his mind during meetings. The intention behind it was to ensure that the ideas reached the people in a more refined form.
We had a close relationship when he was a minister in my cabinet, but he also had good relationships with previous chief ministers and many ministers of important departments. Whenever I visited them with some work, I would see him there. He easily earned this position.
Jawaharlal Darda’s name will surely go down in history as a social worker, politician, newspaper founder, visionary leader, and kind-hearted person.
The author is a member of Rajya Sabha and President, Nationalist Congress Party.
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