Above: Young Khushwant and his wife, Kaval, shortly after they were married in 1939.
Our Heroes
Khushwant Singh:
Not One to Mince Words
by SHIVANGI SINGH
Not one to mince his words, India's most admired writer, Sardar Khushwant Singh, recently appeared at his candid best during the launch of his latest book, Why I Supported the Emergency - a bold, thought-provoking and immensely interesting collection of essays and profiles, compiled and edited by Sheela Reddy.
The 94-year-old writer's intellect remains intact, in spite of failing health and a number of ailments. The "dirty Sardar" looked frail in form but unbeaten and bold in spirit. As the author entered the venue - "Windsor Palace" at Le Meridien in New Delhi, India - he was surrounded by beautiful ladies of different age groups. They hugged, kissed and shook his hands, and made sure that he was comfortable - to the envy of all men present at the event.
The veteran writer, while thanking all present at the book launch said, "Every occasion I come to this venue, I say that this is the last time you would be extending your hospitality. I am saying it again but I promise not to come next time."
Vinod Mehta, the Editor-in-chief of Outlook, who was in conversation with the author, said, "When talking about Khushwant Singh, I don't know where to start and where to end." He brought out the best in the author by posing some tongue-in-cheek questions, which had the audience applauding. Here are the excerpts:
Q: You are unkind to dead people. Is it because the dead can't sue?
Khushwant Singh: I have a different approach to obits. When you write obits, you usually tend to write good things. But it should not be so. If the fellow is a rascal, say so. When I will go, a lot of people will say nasty things about me. I will not be there to read but I hope my family takes it in stride.
Q: Who is the most obnoxious person you have ever met?
Khushwant Singh: Krishna Menon. He tops my list of obnoxious men. I served him for four years and I know what kind of a human being he was. Another one is Rajni Patel, a friend since college, but he was extremely corrupt.
(Laughs) There are others also, but I can talk about Krishna Menon, because he is dead and he can't sue. That's pretty safe. There are others also, but they are living.
Q: It is said that the Brits carry sex in their mind. What do you have to say about Indians?
Khushwant Singh: Indians have sex more often in their brains and not where it should be. Sex is an elemental passion. It's an integral part of our life. All human relationship is based on the desire to have sex. It's human to have desire for sex and when it is not fulfilled, it comes out in perverted forms. That is why celibacy does not work. The desire to have multiple partners is also normal. Married people commit adultery in their mind - happy married life is a façade. I have a collection of sex jokes, which I hope will be published posthumously.
Q: It is strange what two people do to each other in bed. Do you agree with Naipaul when he says that it is difficult to write about explicit sex in literature?
Khushwant Singh: You are being dishonest if you are not writing about sex in your book. It is very natural and normal. Well, I have earned the name of 'dirty old man' but there is not much sex in my books. What I have written is very serious stuff - biography, history, religious texts, etc.
Q: Tell us, how do you lure so many beautiful women?
Khushwant Singh: I still don't know but it is a fact that I have very attractive women dropping at my place. But as I grow old, I get bored. So, I don't mince my words when I say good bye pretty soon.
Q: What do you think of editing standards of today?
Khushwant Singh: In my time, the editor was the boss. Now, the editors are executive officers carrying out the orders of the owner of the publication. The news you get is in the first page, rest is all Bollywood and fashion. The crossword puzzle is the only interesting thing in newspapers these days.
Q: L.K. Advani doesn't seem to like you much. Your take?
Khushwant Singh: I am disappointed in him. He was an able and clean man. I supported him initially. After 1984, Sikhs did not want to vote for Congress. I put forward his name. He came to thank me. But when he was the Home Minister, and he came with his bodyguards in tow, during an event, I took the liberty to say, "You sowed the seed of communalism in the country and the country will pay for it." Advani doesn't womanize; such men are dangerous.
Q: You were called Indira Gandhi's 'chamcha'? Your take?
Khushwant Singh: I supported her when I thought she was right in imposing the emergency. With some reservations, I supported the Emergency proclaimed by Indira Gandhi on June 25, 1975. Let me explain why. I concede that the right to protest is integral to democracy. You can have public meetings to criticise or condemn government actions. You can take out processions, call for strikes and closure of businesses. But there must not be any coercion or violence. If there is any, it is the duty of the government to suppress it by force, if necessary
But when she curbed the freedom of press during the emergency, I withdrew my support. Indira Gandhi had the habit of snubbing whoever opposed her. She was waiting for a chance to snub me. I never gave her the chance as I never met her after that.
Q: You are soft on Sanjay Gandhi. What do you think of him?
Khushwant Singh: He was a highly misunderstood man. He was a doer, he got things right. We need his compulsory population method. His idea of tree plantation was also good. I agree he made a mess of the Maruti project, but he had his own way of doing things, I supported him and I have no regrets.
Q: You also called him a 'goonda' (thug) ...
Khushwant Singh: He was a dictator. I saw him fighting physically. India would have probably progressed much under him. But India would not have been a democracy.
Q: Who is the most admirable man you have ever met?
Khushwant Singh: Manmohan Singh. He is simple, has no charisma, yet he is the best Prime Minister we've ever had. He is not corrupt, he has plans in mind and is taking the country ahead. He will be underrated with Advani calling him 'weak', but it's not true. I support him not because he is a Sardar, but he is truly admirable.
Q: What would you say about Maneka and Varun Gandhi?
Khushwant Singh: Maneka Gandhi brought up Varun alone. I somehow could not believe the abusive words against Sikhs and Muslims attributed to him. One of the men opposing him was a Sikh. Sikhs have this ability to accept jokes about them, but the remark 'uska bara baja denge' (I will fix him) is not the kind of thing to say in public. After all, most of his mother's relatives are Sikhs, He is a badly brought up child. I hope Varun will be banned from contesting the polls and the people will throw him out. But I am afraid that he will win the seat.
[Courtesy: Samachar]
April 17, 2009
Conversation about this article
1: G.C. Singh (U.S.A.), April 19, 2009, 12:23 PM.
He may now change his story and justify his actions to fit the circumstances, but Khushwant was the biggest "chamcha" of the Nehru family and as an editor of Hindustan Times promoted the goon, Sanjay Gandhi, as the future Prime Minister of India. Khushwant has done incalculable damage to the Sikh struggle for political and economic justice by his vicious diatribes against the Sikhs who were fighting the genocidal policies of the Indian Government. An enthusiastic supporter of Indira Gandhi and her emergency, he compared her to a powerful "Hindu deity". All this service to the Hindu establishment however could not save him as a Sikh, when he had to hide in the Swedish embassy during the 1984 pogroms in New Delhi. To his credit, he has roundly criticized the RSS and Advani for their communal agenda and blamed the Indian Government for its anti-Sikh pogroms. However, he has avoided naming the chief-accused, Rajiv Gandhi and Arun Nehru, for ordering and orchestrating the pogroms. In the early nineties, Rajiv Gandhi was one of the guests at his home for his birthday party.
2: Chamkaur Singh Bal (U.S.A.), April 22, 2009, 4:47 PM.
I love reading his work. He remains an important link to what life was like in pre-partition Punjab. His documentation and narratives regarding Partition are of particular interest. So what he likes his scotch and women? He has led an extemely interesting and full life - whatever his politics, there are lessons to be learned from such experience.
3: Sudhir Kumar (Patna, Bihar, India), April 27, 2009, 5:07 AM.
Respected sir, I am a comman man. I am a regular reader of your column published in the Hindustan Dainik. Mai aapke lifestyle ka prashanshak hoon. But, please sabki apni apni astha hai, please dharm per comment nahi kijiye. Thanks.
4: Dharamveer Singh (Mumbai, India), May 11, 2009, 2:28 PM.
"Je Sikh nu Sikh naa maare, eh quom kadey naa haare" - which means that the Sikhs wouldn't lose a single battle if it wasn't for some of their own Sikhs attacking them.
5: Meena (Delhi, India), August 23, 2009, 9:10 PM.
Sardar G.C. Singh (U.S.A). Hear, hear! Thank you for saying it all! You have put it better into words than I could have ever done! My sentiments exactly.
6: Shaukat Rai (Patiala, Punjab), June 04, 2010, 3:07 PM.
He is a very brave, outspoken and extra intelligent man. I have never come across such a big and intelligent person in my life. I really appreciate his straightforwardness. And pray to God for his long and healthy life.
7: Amarjit Singh (India), October 24, 2012, 7:07 AM.
Honest, bold and fearless. I've been reading him ever since I was able to read English. He has done a lot for the Sikh cause. May he live long.
8: Joseph T (Amravati, India), February 10, 2013, 5:37 AM.
I like the frankness with which you express your views. I appreciate people who are realistic in their approach and you are one. People play politics and remain hypocrites, using as many masks as they can, only to get popularity, fame and name. I hate men and women who are filled with dichotomy in their word and deed.