Download the all-new Republic app:

Published 09:39 IST, August 7th 2019

Sushma Swaraj passes away: A look at the prolific orator's most famous quotes

ormer Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj passed away on Tuesday night. The senior BJP leader was taken to AIIMS at quarter to nine in a critical condition on Tuesday evening. Senior BJP leaders in the likes Nitin Gadkari and Dr Harshvardhan accompanied her to AIIMS. 

Reported by: Digital Desk
Follow: Google News Icon
  • share
null | Image: self
Advertisement

Former Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj passed away on Tuesday night, after having suffered a cardiac arrest in New Delhi. The senior BJP leader was taken to AIIMS at quarter to nine in a critical condition on Tuesday evening. Senior BJP leaders in the likes Nitin Gadkari and Dr Harshvardhan accompanied her to AIIMS. 

The former Union External Affairs Minister was known for her sharp political punches. She became the country's youngest Cabinet Minister in Harayana government when she was only 25 years old. Her first election was in 1977, as a member of the Janata Party. Elected twice as the MLA and served as a Labour and Employment Minister from the year (1977-79), Food and Civil Supplies (1987-90), Sushma Swaraj ) as a member of BJP grew in the party ranks and became a member of the Rajya Sabha in 1990. 

Advertisement

READ: Sushma Swaraj Passes Away: She Breathed Her Last On The Day She Waited Her Lifetime To See, Her Last Tweet Confirms

Here is a look at her quotes from her extraordinary journey:

10 PAK HEADS: 

Back in January 2013, the Pakistani army beheaded Indian Army soldier Hemraj, she said, "agar ye sir nahi aaye toh unke toh dus sir toh aaye. Jo ghatna ghati hai uska badla bhi Pakistan se le aaj desh ye maang kar raha hai ki hum kamzoor sarkar sabit na ho agar ye sir nahi aaye toh unke toh dus sir aaye". 

Advertisement

POETICAL RETORTS:

During the 2008 Trust vote, the then leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj replied with a couplet to Manmohan Singh saying “Tu idhar udhar ki na baat kar, yeh bata ki qaafila kyon loota; hamein rahzanon se gila nahin, teri rehbari ka sawaal hai.' Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj had both recited Urdu couplets during the discussion on allegations that the Congress bought MPs to win the 2008 trust vote. 

ATTACKING PAKISTAN AT THE UN 

In September 2017, Sushma Swaraj made one of the most memorable speeches for India at the United Nation General Assembly. She attacked and exposed Pakistan and was a true mascot of Indian democracy when she said “ India has risen despite being the principal destination of Pakistans nefarious export of terrorism. There have been many governments under many parties during 70 years of Indian freedom, for we have been a sustained democracy.”

Advertisement

Her second speech was during the UN General Assembly when she came down against Pakistan, directing her remarks at Pakistan's then Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and asked how the entire nation should introspect, the 'export factory of terror'. 

AGAINST PAKISTAN AT THE UNGA 

The former Union External Affairs Minister made one of her strongest speeches against Pakistan at the UNGA speaking about Osama Bin Laden's presence in Pakistan, and about the hypocrisy of Islamabad. Speaking about the FATF with a focus and tore apart the human rights fake narrative of Pakistan before the whole world. 

Advertisement

SPEECH OF 1996:

Sushma Swaraj's most power-packed speech on Parliament, in June 1996  when she said, "aaj se pehle iss sadan mein ek dal ki sarkar hoti thi aur bhikra hua vipaksh hota tha, lekin aaj bikhri hui sarkar hai aur ek jhut vipaksh". She also called out Congress for the Sikh riots and fought for accountability in a Urea scam

LANGUAGE NO BARRIER FOR SUSHMA SWARAJ:

In the rally speech of August 1999 in Bellary, she contested against Sonia Gandhi and spoke fluently in Kannada with such ease that would not betray the fact that she hails from Ambala, Haryana 

SLAMMED PAKISTAN ON HER FINAL DAYS AS EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER:

On 22 May 2019, just a day before the Lok Sabha Election results, Sushma Swaraj as an external affairs minister was addressing the SCO meet for foreign ministers wherein she slammed Pakistan in front of Shah Mehmood Qureshi saying “Our wounds of Pulwama attack were still raw and the news from the neighbourhood has made us more determined to resolutely fight against this menace,” referring to the Sri Lanka terror attack

TAKING ON NEHRU ERA:

On 3 August 2017, Sushma Swaraj had retorted to Congress’ claims of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru bringing global fame by saying, “ye satya hai lekin iske saath mein ek vakya jodna chahunga Pradhan Mantri Pandit Nehru ne vyaktikat roop mein samaan kamaya, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi ne poore Bharat ko samaan dilaya hai” 

FIRST ADDRESS AT OIC: 

“The fight against terrorism is not a confrontation against any religion. It cannot be. Just as Islam literally means peace, none of the 99 names of Allah mean violence. Similarly, every religion in the world stands for peace, compassion & brotherhood”, she had said. 

COLGATE SCAM: 

Sushma Swaraj's cutting reply to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the coal scam addressed the media and public and said, "Pradhan mantri ji aapne ne kisi sawal ki abru nahi rakhi aap swayam beabru hokar lekar nikle hai. Desh ko beabru kiya aapne"

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2018 : 

On International Women's day in 2018, Sushma Swaraj had said, “What kind of equality are we talking about? You (referring to Speaker Venkaiah Naidu) said (equality) we should start from home. I want to say that you should start from here. Is there no capable women among us who can be on the panel and sit on that chair?”

READ: Sushma Swaraj Passes Away: Amit Shah Says Former EAM's Demise An 'irreparable Loss To BJP And Indian Politics

08:19 IST, August 7th 2019