When I became minister Dharam Singh put up 101 welcome arches: Kharge

As Kharge was talking to Kannada Prabha, his wife called to say she had gone to pay respects to Dharam Singh and could not control her tears. On hearing Kharge could not control his tears and cried for his friend. 

Dharam Singh and I were a team. You may find examples of friends who are together for twenty or thirty years. But Dharam Singh and I were together for 50 years.  Our political travel was together. Now, by his absence, which moment, which incident can I place before you? Is it possible to separate one incident? Nature separated us...

It was 1968. I joined Congress influenced by Smt Indira Gandhi.  Dharam had joined Congress earlier to me.  But when Congress was divided both I and Dharam strove very hard to build the Party.  I was working with Mallappa Kolluru and others.  In 1970 when Indira Gandhi came to Kalburgi we all worked united.  In those days there was Congress (O) and Congress (R).  

Dharam Singh was the secretary of district committee for Congress (R).  I was the president of Gulbarga City Congress.  Though we both started our political career at the same time, we had not interacted much before that.  He studied in Hyderabad I studied in Gulbarga. He was my senior. But both of us were attracted by Indira Gandhi’s programs. When former Chandrashekhar, Krishnakanth and Mohan Dharia came to Gulbarga Veerendra Patil was the Chief Minister.  

Section 144 was imposed in Gulbarga to prevent Chandrashekhar from addressing public. We had decided to conduct the program at any cost. There was lathi charge. FIR was filed against all of us. We all took bail and came out.  After that we planned several agitations. In 1974 both of us were elected as legislators. In Karnataka legislative of the 224 seats the front 2 seats were like reserved for I and Dharam.

In 1973 I was the Municipal Finances Committee chairman.  Dharam and I were always moving about together. In 1976 I became a minister. When I went to Gulbarga for the first time after taking oath, Dharam had put up 101 arches to welcome me. He had formed a committee to welcome me. Several of my initiations were implemented because of Dharam’s zeal and enthusiasm.

Our names had joined and people would always say ‘Dharam Singh Kharge’ or ‘Kharge Dharam Singh’.  They never separated our names. If we went anywhere alone they would me ‘where is Dharam’ and ask him ‘where is Kharge’.  Not just in Gulbarga and Karnataka but all over the country. Even in Parliament.  Our friendship was over 50 years. Not many have such long friendship.

July 21 was my birthday.  I said I would go to meet him, but he came to meet me.  Said hey, every year I come why should I miss it this time? There were thousands of people gathered. But he came to wish me. That was the last I saw him. His birthday was on 25th December. He would always joke that the entire world celebrates his birthday.  I always went to wish him for his birthday.

In Karnataka there are about 30 to 35 ministerial posts but both of us were permanent.  There were only two top posts in Congress State Unit. One is CLP leader another Congress president. I was CLP leader he became president. I went to Parliament, he also came to Parliament.  We never separated. Only now he has departed.

I got married first and he married later. Both our families participated in functions of each other’s families. When his daughter was born I named her Priyadarshini. We grew in politics because of Indira Gandhi and hence I named the baby after her.

Dharam Singh was liberal.  He never got angry for anything.  If anybody lied or gave wrong information I would get angry. But his patience was unlimited.  If I was irritated by his talk, he would call me in the morning. If we got angry with each other we would talk by evening or morning and clear things. Dharam was without enemies.  I am not good at compromise. But he had good interaction with the Opposition also.

He had the charm to make even stones talk. If anybody spoke against us or our Party, it was difficult for me to talk to that person again. But Dharam was not like that. He would say ‘let them talk’. He was very largehearted.  

His memory power was legendary. He had thousands of phone numbers at his tongue tip. I always joked that though your other body parts are not working your brain is always sharp. He would make one round of phone calls every morning to everybody to make general inquiries.

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