Narasimha Rao was friend, philosopher and guide: PM

New Delhi, Mar 31 (UNI) Describing Mr P V Narasimha Rao as a 'Sanyasi' in politics, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said the late leader was his ''friend, philosopher and guide in many ways.'' Dr Singh said he would ''always cherish the unique opportunity I had to work with him'' as the former Prime Minister was a ''modernizer who was steeped in our tradition and ethos.'' Inaugurating a national conference on ''Human Values, Spirituality, Integration and Peace'' here, Dr Singh said Mr Rao was a rare scholar, statesman who gave a new sense of direction not only to India's economic policies but also foreign policies.

Dr Singh also presented the P V Memorial Lifetime Achievement Gold Medal Awards to veteran Congress leader Dr Karan Singh, former Election Commissioner G V G Krishna Murthy and noted social activist and Gandhian Ms Nirmala Deshpande.

Mr Rao's command over several languages was not just a linguistic capability. ''It made him truly a pan-Indian personality equally at ease in Karimnagar, Pune, Benaras and Delhi,'' the Prime Minister said.

He also dwelt at length on Mahatma Gandhi whose greatest legacy for mankind was his commitment to the resolution of conflict through dialogue. Ironically, Mahatma Gandhi became world famous for his fasts and his vows of silence. However, he never used these as weapons of coercion, nor did he deploy them to end dialogue. Even when he chose not to speak, he was ready to listen. Even when he was frail from fasting, he was ready to wield the pen to communicate.

''I, therefore, sincerely believe that the cause of peace and integration is best served by dialogue. Power in a civilised world does not and need not flow from the barrel of a gun, it must flow from our ability to talk and to hear and to understand other persons point of view,'' Dr Singh said.

UNI