Veteran Jana Sangh leader and saffron ideologue, Nanaji Deshmukh, who was also associated with the RSS for a long time, passed away Saturday evening at the Sadguru Seva Sangh hospital at Chitrakoot in Uttar Pradesh . He was 95. His body was brought to Delhi on Sunday. Deshmukh has donated his body for research purpose.
Deshmukh, who had been ailing for quite some time, complained of chest pain in the morning following which he was taken to the hospital where he died. He had gone to Jana Sangh from RSS, but he gave up politics at the age of 60 in accordance with his belief that all politicians should retire from politics when they reach that age.
Probably the only politician to have severed all connection with politics on reaching 60, he took to constructive work with vigour after that time.
He was known to be very close to late Jaya Prakash Narayan and Ramnath Goenka of the Indian Express.
There was no question of his joining the BJP as he had retired from politics before the party came into existence. He was much senior in politics to leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani.
Nanaji, as he was fondly known, was the founder of the Deendaya Research Institute in New Delhi [ Images ], the Gramodaya Vishwavidayalaya in Chitrakoot and Bal Jagat in Nagpur.
He was also well known for doing pioneering social work in the Gonda district of Utta Pradesh.
Nanaji got into controversy in 1984, when Indira Gandhi died, for his statement that the time had come for the Sangh to stand by Rajiv Gandhi .
Describing the late Nanaji Deshmukh as an expert in handling challenges, former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Saturday said he was a dedicated social worker, lifelong pracharak of the RSS, senior politician and a visionary.
In his condolence message, Vajpayee said he got the opportunity to work with Deshmukh and referred to the days in the Bhartiya Jan Sangh when they worked together.
"He was an expert in handling challenges. There was a magnetic attraction in his personality and whoever came in touch with him remained with him throughout," Vajpayee said.
Recalling Deshmukh's role, Vajpayee said he was a fighter and joined the movement of Jai Prakash Narayan.
During the emergency, the veteran RSS leader had fought for democracy after becoming an underground and then continued his struggle against social inequality and was active till his last breath, the former prime minister said.
"By voluntarily disassociating himself from politics, he became a role model," Vajpayee said, adding that he created self-sufficient model towns like Gonda and Chitrakoot. "
His death is a loss to society and me personally," Vajpayee said in the condolence message.
The body was flown to New Delhi from Chitrakoot on Sunday for his followers to pay their respects before it is donated to AIIMS -- as per his wish.
