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[[Image:Aqua-distillata.jpg|thumb|250px|Bottle for Distilled water in the Real Farmacia in Madrid.]]
{{infobox Prime Minister
'''Distilled water''' is [[water]] that has virtually all of its [[Impurity|impurities]] removed through [[distillation]]. Distillation involves [[boiling]] the water and re-condensing the [[steam]] into a clean container, leaving most contaminants behind.
| order=15th [[Prime Minister of India]]
| name=Inder Kumar Gujral
| image=Gujral.jpg
| birth_date =[[4 December]] [[1919]]
| birth_place =[[Jhelum]], [[West Punjab|Punjab]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party=[[Janata Dal]]
| term_start =[[21 April]] [[1997]]
| term_end =[[19 March]] [[1998]]
| predecessor =[[H D Deve Gowda]]
| successor =[[A B Vajpayee]]
|}}
'''Inder Kumar Gujral''' ({{lang-hi|इन्द्र कुमार गुजराल}}) (born [[4 December]] [[1919]]) was the twelfth [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]] of the Republic of [[India]].
==Applications==
Born in the town of [[Jhelum (City)|Jhelum]] in Western [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]], now in [[Pakistan]], he actively took part in India's freedom struggle, and was jailed in [[1942]] during '[[Quit India Movement]]'.
{{Unreferencedsect|date=July 2007}}
In chemical and biological laboratories, as well as industry, cheaper alternatives such as [[deionized water]] are preferred over distilled water.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} However, if these alternatives are not sufficiently pure, distilled water is used. Where exceptionally high purity water is required, [[double distilled water]] is used.
Distilled water is also commonly used to top up [[lead acid batteries]] used in cars and trucks. The presence of other ions commonly found in tap water will cause a drastic reduction in its lifespan.
In the tumultuous days of June 1975, he was minister of Information and Broadcasting. On June 12,1975, the Allahabad high court gave a verdict that Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi used unfair means in elections of 1971 and termed her election null and void. There were reports that her son, Sanjay Gandhi brought people from neighboring state of [[Uttar Pradesh]] in a number of trucks to Delhi and held massive demonstrations in support of the Prime Minister. It was also reported that Sanjay wanted Gujral to give coverage of the rallies on state run television and radio. However Gujral refused to obey [[Sanjay Gandhi]], who did not hold any constitutional post. Many people believe that it was the reason why Gujral was replaced by Vidya Charan Shukla as minister of Information and Broadcasting.
Distilled water is preferable to tap water for use in automotive cooling systems. The minerals and ions typically found in tap water can be corrosive to internal engine components, and can cause a more rapid depletion of the anti-corrosion additives found in most [[antifreeze]] formulations.{{Fact|date=May 2007}}
Later, Gujral was appointed India's ambassador to Russia. By the time of Indira Gandhi's return to power in 1980,as the Indian envoy to [[Moscow]], Gujral persuaded her to express opposition to the [[Soviet Union]]'s [[1979]] invasion of [[Afghanistan]]. That was a break from India's earlier record of supporting Soviet military ventures in [[Hungary]] and [[Czechoslovakia]], and it led Mrs. Gandhi to privately inform Soviet leader [[Leonid I. Brezhnev]] that the [[Moscow Kremlin|Kremlin]] had blundered in Afghanistan.
Using distilled water in [[steam iron]]s for pressing clothes can help reduce mineral build-up and make the iron last longer. However, many iron manufacturers say that distilled water is no longer necessary in their irons.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}
Gujral left the [[Congress Party]] in the mid-1980s and joined the [[Janata Dal]]. The Dal was a third-party with mainly socialist leanings and regional bases. In 1989 elections, Gujral was elected from Jallandhar parliamentary constituency of Punjab. He served as Minister of External Affairs in V.P.Singh cabinet. The issue he had to deal with as External Affairs Minister was Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and the subsequent events that led to first gulf war of January 1991. As India's representative, he personally met with Iraq's Saddam Hussein. His hug with Hussein during the meeting remains a matter of controversy. In 1991 mid-term parliamentary elections, Gujral contested from Patna constituency in Bihar against Janata Dal(S) candidate and then Finance Minister Mr. Yashwant Sinha. However the election was countermanded following complaints of large scale irregularities.
Some people use distilled water for household [[aquariums]] because it lacks the chemicals found in [[tap water]] supplies. It is important to supplement distilled water when using it for [[fishkeeping]]; it is too pure to sustain proper chemistry to support an aquarium ecosystem.{{Fact|date=May 2007}}
In 1992,Gujral was elected to Rajya Sabha and remained a key Janata Dal leader.
==Drinking distilled water==
After 1996 elections, when United Front government was formed at the center under the leadership of H.D.Deve Gowda, he was again named Minister of External Affairs of India. During his second tenure as Minister of External Affairs, he propounded his 'Gujral Doctrine' which called for better relations with neighbors. With Gujral at the helm of Ministry of External Affairs, India resolved long standing dispute over [[Ganga]] water sharing with Bangladesh.
{{Unreferencedsect|date=February 2007}}
Drinking distilled water is quite common.
Many beverage manufacturers use distilled water to ensure a drink's purity and taste. Bottled distilled water is sold as well, and can usually be found in [[supermarkets]]. [[Water purification]], such as distillation, is especially important in regions where water resources or tap water is not suitable for ingesting without boiling or chemical treatment.
Before becoming the [[Prime Minister of India]] in April [[1997]], he served the country as Union Minister or Minister of State holding different portfolios in the Ministries of Communications and Parliamentary Affairs, Information & Broadcasting, Works & Housing, Planning and Ministry of External Affairs.
Water filtration devices are common in many households. Most of these devices do not distill water, though there continues to be an increase in consumer-oriented [[water distiller]]s and reverse osmosis machines being sold and used. Municipal water supplies often add or have trace impurities at levels which are regulated to be safe for consumption. Much of these additional impurities, such as [[volatile organic compounds]], [[fluoride]], and an estimated 75,000+ other chemical compounds{{Fact|date=February 2007}} are not removed through conventional filtration; however, distillation does eliminate nearly all of these impurities.
The Congress party, which was supporting the United Front government from outside decided to withdraw support, which led to the collapse of the government in April 1997.In order to avoid elections, compromise was reached and the Congress party agreed to support another United Front government under new leader, provided its concerns like not being consulted before taking important decisions and being marginalized were addressed. The United Front elected Gujral as new leader and he was sworn in as Prime Minister on April 21,1997.
Distilled water is also used as drinking water in arid seaside areas which do not have sufficient freshwater, by distilling seawater. It is quite common on ships, especially [[nuclear ship|nuclear powered ships]], which require a large supply of distilled water as coolant. The drinking water is produced in [[desalination plant]]s, although it is very expensive due to the large amount of fuel needed to boil water. Alternative technologies like [[reverse osmosis]] are becoming increasingly important in this regard due to their greatly reduced costs.
Gujral inherited the bitterness between Congress party and the United Front from his predecessor,H.D.Deve Gowda. However he adroitly maintained good relations with the Congress party that was supporting his government from outside. Within a few weeks in office, Prime Minister Gujral faced a trouble, not from the Congress party but within his own Janata Dal. The CBI asked for the permission from the governor of Bihar Mr.A.R.Kidwai to prosecute the state chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav in a corruption case related with purchase of fodder for the cattle (see:[[Fodder Scam]]). The state governor granted the permission for the prosecution of the chief minister and demand for the resignation of Yadav was raised both from within and out of the United Front. However Laloo Prasad Yadav sternly rejected the demand. Prime Minister Gujral just exhorted Yadav to step down without actually taking any action against his government. When Gujral transferred the CBI director Mr. Joginder Singh, who was investigating the case against Yadav, many people considered this as an attempt on the part of Prime Minister to protect Yadav. When Laloo Prasad Yadav felt that he no longer enjoyed commanding position in Janata Dal, he left the party and formed his own 'Rashtriya Janata Dal' (RJD) on July 3,1997. Out of 45 Janata Dal members of parliament, 17 left the party and supported Yadav. However, the new party continued in the United Front and Gujral's government was saved from immediate danger.
===Pros and cons===
Prime Minister Gujral continued in the office for over 11 months, including 3 months as caretaker Prime Minister. During this time, he attempted to improve relations with Pakistan, reform the aging institutions of government and promote pro-growth economic policies to bring the country out of the 1997 [[Asian financial crisis]], which had left it stagnant. But the fractious, corrupt and unstable coalition politics were too big a hurdle.
The drinking of distilled water has been both advocated and discouraged for health reasons. The lack of naturally-occurring minerals in distilled water has raised some concerns.
The Journal of General Internal Medicine<ref>{{Citation
One of the most controversial decisions of his government was recommendation of President's rule in Uttar Pradesh, following unruly scenes in the state assembly on October 21,1997. The [[BJP]] government headed by [[Kalyan Singh]] sought vote of confidence when the violence and unruly scenes took place in the assembly. However President K.R. Narayanan refused to sign the recommendation and sent it back to the government for reconsideration. Gujral government decided not to pursue the matter further and let Kalyan Singh's government continue in Uttar Pradesh.
| last1=Azoulay | first1=Arik
| last2=Garzon | first2=Philippe
| last3=Eisenberg | first3=Mark
| year=2001
| title=Comparison of the Mineral Content of Tap Water and Bottled Waters
| periodical=Journal of General Internal Medicine
| volume=16
| issue=3
| pages=168-175
| url=http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1111/j.1525-1497.2001.04189.x/enhancedabs/
}}</ref> published a study on the mineral contents of different waters available in the US. The study concluded, "drinking water sources available to North Americans may contain high levels of [[Calcium]], [[Magnesium]], and [[Sodium]] and may provide clinically important portions of the recommended dietary intake of these minerals. Physicians should encourage patients to check the mineral content of their drinking water, whether tap or bottled, and choose water most appropriate for their needs." Since distilled water doesn't contain minerals, supplemental mineral intake through diet is needed to maintain proper health.
It is often observed that consumption of "hard" water, or water that has some minerals, may have beneficial cardiovascular effects. As noted in the American Journal of Epidemiology, consumption of hard drinking water is negatively correlated with atherosclerotic [[heart disease]].<ref>{{Citation
In early November 1997, parts of interim report of Jain Commission inquiring into the conspiracy aspect of Rajiv Gandhi assassination case were leaked to the press. Reportedly, the Jain Commission had indicted the political party, [[DMK]] (Dravid Munnetra Kazhagam) for tacitly supporting the [[LTTE]], which was responsible for Rajiv Gandhi's assassination. The [[DMK]] was part of the ruling coalition at the center and the Union Cabinet had ministers belonging to the DMK. The Congress party first demanded the tabling of the report on the floor of the parliament. The report was tabled on [[19 November]] 1997. When it was confirmed that the Jain Commission had in fact held the DMK responsible for supporting the LTTE, the Congress party demanded that the ministers belonging to the DMK be dropped. There was exchange of letters between Congress President [[Sitaram Kesri]] and Prime Minister Gujral. However, Gujral refused to budge. In a public function in Calcutta on November 23,1997, he gave a hint of what was to follow saying 'mid-term elections are around the corner'.The Congress party finally withdrew support to his government on November 28,1997. Gujral resigned following the withdrawal of support by the congress party. As no alternative government could be formed, the only alternative was mid-term elections, as Gujral had foreseen.
| last=Voors
| first=A. W.
| year=1971
| title=Mineral in the municipal water and atherosclerotic heart death
| periodical=American Journal of Epidemiology
| volume=93
| issue=4
| pages=259-266
| url=http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/93/4/259
}}</ref> Since distilled water is devoid of minerals, it will not have these potential benefits.
It has been suggested that -- because distilled water lacks [[fluoride]] ions that are added by many governments (e.g. municipalities in the United States) at water treatment plants using [[fluoridation]] for its supposed effect on the inhibition of [[caries|cavity]] formation -- the drinking of distilled water may increase the risk of tooth decay due to a lack of this element.<ref>[http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/DentalHealth/tb/1756 ''Bottled Water Cited as Contributing to Cavity Comeback'' at MedPage Today]</ref>
The Gujral Government was sadly in the mire of a very fractious, chaotic stage in the evolution of democracy in [[India]]. It failed to achieve any particular goal towards national progress and public welfare despite being headed by an able administrator with clean image, Gujral. However, I.K. Gujral had the distinct privilege and honor of leading the country in its 50th year of independence, a year of pride and major celebrations of the country's diversity, vibrant cultural fabric, achievements of the past five decades, and of course, honoring the national freedom struggle and its veterans.
A purported effect of drinking water in its pure form is a 'more powerful solvent' that helps cleanse toxins from the body{{Fact|date=February 2007}}.
The elections were held in February-March 1998.Gujral contested again from Jallandhar constituency in Punjab with the support of Akali Dal. The Akali Dal, though a part of BJP-led coalition opted to support Gujral because during his Prime Ministerial tenure, Gujral declared that the central government will share the expenses on stamping out terrorism in Punjab during 1980s and early 1990s, along with the state government of Punjab. That eased the strain on economy of Punjab to a great extent and the Akali Dal decided to support Gujral. Gujral defeated Umrao Singh of the Congress party by over 131,000 votes. In the 12th [[Lok Sabha]], Gujral actively opposed the BJP-led coalition government. In a debate in [[Lok Sabha]] on May 29,1998, he pointed out some of the drawbacks of the government in handling of the nuclear tests conducted at Pokhran. He also opposed the government's decision to impose President's rule in [[Bihar]]. However Gujral actively supported Prime Minister [[Vajpayee]]'s visit to [[Lahore]] in February 1999 and signing of Lahore Declaration with Pakistan Prime Minister, [[Nawaz Sharif]]. On April 19,1999, when the BJP-led government sought vote of confidence on the floor of the Lok Sabha after the withdrawal of support by AIADMK, Gujral opposed the government.
The cost of distilling water (about 0.04 to 0.10 Euro or USD per litre in 2005) prohibits its use by most households worldwide.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}
He did not contest 1999 elections and retired from active politics.
==Myths==
He speaks fluent [[Urdu]], the national language of Pakistan, and spends part of his leisure time writing Urdu [[couplet]]s, a poetic form that traces back to India's [[Mogul]] [[emperor]]s. His wife, Sheila, with whom he has two sons, is a poet and author, and his brother [[Satish Gujral]] is a prominent painter and architect.
A popular myth about distilled water is that it has the dangerous property of being more easily heated above its normal [[boiling point]] without actually boiling (as seen in "Mythbusters") in a process known as [[superheating]]. When superheated water is disturbed or has impurities added to it, a nucleation center for bubbles form. These bubbles are then new nucleation centers, and a sudden, explosive boiling can occur, possibly causing serious injury to those nearby. However, distilled water and tap water do not differ in their ease of or danger in being superheated. The dissolved impurities in motionless tap water do not present enough disturbance to inhibit superheating.
==References==
In [[2004]], his son Naresh Gujral unsuccessfully contested with an [[Shiromani Akali Dal]] seat from [[Jalandhar]], [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] constituency in the Indian General Elections.
<references/>
==See also==
{{start box}}
* [[Deionized water]]
{{succession box|
* [[Atmospheric water generator]] ''(Make distilled water from air)''
before=[[H. D. Deve Gowda]]|
* [[Heavy water]]
title=[[Prime Minister of India]]|
* [[Double distilled water]]
years=1997–1998|
after=[[Atal Behari Vajpayee]]
[[Category:Liquid water]]
}}
[[Category:Distillation]]
{{succession box|
[[Category:Drinking water]]
before=[[V P Singh]]|
title=[[Indian_Foreign_Minister|Minister for External Affairs of India]]|
years=1989–1990|
after=[[Vidya Charan Shukla]]
}}
{{succession box|
before=[[Sikander Bakht]]|
title=[[Indian_Foreign_Minister|Minister for External Affairs of India]]|
years=1996–1998|
after=[[Atal Behari Vajpayee]]
}}
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