Atal Bihari Vajpayee top five quotes: ‘You can change your friends but not neighbours’

Former prime minister and one of the shrewdest Indian politicians Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who is fighting for life in Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) hospital, is known for his extraordinary oratory skills. Vajpayee, a multilingual fearless leader always spoke his mind without compromising with the interest of his organisation.

After India’s nuclear test in 1998, Vajpayee advised Pakistan to stop his evil designs of hate, saying “we can change our friends but not our neighbours.” The BJP stalwart, who became the only non-Congress leader to complete his full five-year tenure as PM of India, was of the opinion that in democracy, even two fools can defeat a powerful person if they come together.

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Here are five famous quotes of Atal Bihari Vajpayee that will echo in eternity

1. "Our nuclear weapons are meant purely as a deterrent against nuclear adventure by an adversary."
2. "You can change our friends but not neighbours."
3. "Indian democracy's greatest strength is that we have always put the nation above politics."
4. "The overwhelming public sentiment in India was that no meaningful dialogue can be held with Pakistan until it abandons the use of terrorism as an instrument of its foreign policy." Also Read | India Prays for Vajpayee: Many offer 'Namaz', conduct 'Havan' for his speedy recovery
5. "If India is not secular, then India is not India at all."