Hyderabad, Feb 9 (PTI) Former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao and family members of P V Narasimha Rao on Friday hailed the announcement of Bharat Ratna to the former prime minister posthumously.
Naidu, in a post on ‘X’ said it is heartening that Bharat Ratna has been conferred posthumously by the Union Government on three great sons of Bharat Mata, former Prime Ministers Chaudary Charan Singh, “versatile statesman” Narasimha Rao and eminent agricultural scientist M S Swaminathan.
Narasimha Rao was the iconic architect of liberalisation and economic reforms, the former vice president said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that former prime ministers Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh as well as agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan will be honoured with the Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian honour.
Union Minister Kishan Reddy said Bharat Ratna to Rao is a fitting tribute to the great leader and a son of Telugu soil.
Hailing the announcement, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said it is a matter of pride for all the countrymen.
Speaking in the Telangana Legislative Assembly, he recalled the stellar contributions made by Rao to the nation and conveyed his greetings to the late Congress leader’s family members and admirers.
Recalling that Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi had cooperated in the election of Rao as prime minister and in running the government, Reddy praised Rao’s key role in the liberation of erstwhile Hyderabad state under Nizam’s rule and his later yeoman service to the nation.
Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikrarmarka and several ministers, including D Sridhar Babu, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and Jupally Krishna Rao, also welcomed the award to Rao.
BRS president Chandrasekhar Rao said the Bharat Ratna to Rao, a son of the soil, is a respect given to Telangana people.
“KCR thanks the Centre for conferring Bharat Ratna on P V Narasimha Rao respecting the demand made by BRS,” a BRS release said.
The family members and close relatives of Rao expressed happiness over the highest civilian award being conferred on the family patriarch.
The family members, including Rao’s daughters Vani Devi and Sarada Devi and son PV Prabhakar Rao, visited ‘PV Gyan Bhoomi’, the samadhi of the departed leader on the banks of the Hussain Sagar lake here, and paid tributes to him.
Sarada Devi expressed happiness over her father getting the prestigious award and thanked PM Modi.
Vani Devi appreciated PM Modi for seeing beyond party lines in recognising the late Congress leader with the Bharat Ratna, and said that although the award has come “slightly” late, it’s ok because it is the highest civilian honour.
Rao belongs to the whole nation, she said.
Commending Modi’s gesture of awarding the Bharat Ratna to a stalwart of an opposition party, Vani Devi said “Beyond parties, recognising PV and conferring Bharat Ratna shows the good values, manners of our Prime Minister.” She, however, pointed out that the award could have come sooner.
“Though there is a slight delay, it’s ok. Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian honour. Telangana people are very happy over Bharat Ratna being conferred upon Narasimha Rao. The family members are overwhelmed. We are very excited,” she added.
Prabhakar Rao thanked Modi on behalf of the family. Recalling that the reforms and decisions initiated by his father were milestones, he said the award is a fitting tribute to his contributions.
Narasimha Rao’s grandson and Telangana BJP spokesperson N V Subhash hailed PM Modi for conferring awards on persons on the basis of merit, irrespective of political background.
Subhash alleged that the Congress had failed to recognise the contributions of Rao though he belonged to the Congress.
“It is a slap on the face of the Congress party, especially to the Gandhi family” as the achievements of Rao were credited to the Gandhi family, while attributing failures to his grandfather, Subhash claimed.
PV Madhan, a close relative of Rao, thanked Modi for the award.
Though Rao, who wanted to give up politics and take ‘sanyas’, became prime minister accidentally, he initiated the path-breaking economic reforms, he said in Warangal.
Rao’s extended family members celebrated the announcement in Karimnagar town and thanked Modi for the award.
A rally was taken out at Vangara village in Hanumakonda district of Telangana, where Rao grew up.
In Warangal, former minister Ponnala Laxmaiah recalled his association with Rao.
Rao, who served as the prime minister from 1991 to 1996, was born at Laknepalli village in Warangal district of Telangana in 1921.
He was the first prime minister from South India, and was responsible, along with then finance minister Manmohan Singh, for the globalisation and liberalisation policies that lay the path for India to become one of the top five economies in the world. PTI SJR VVK SJR KH
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