New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Friday that former Prime Ministers P.V. Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh, and scientist Dr M.S. Swaminathan would be conferred India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna.
Modi called ‘Narasimha Rao Garu’ a distinguished scholar and statesman who served India extensively in various capacities.
“He is equally remembered for the work he did as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Union Minister, and as a Member of Parliament and Legislative Assembly for many years,” Modi posted on X.
He said Rao’s visionary leadership was instrumental in making India economically advanced, “laying a solid foundation for the country’s prosperity and growth”.
He added that Rao’s tenure as PM was “marked by significant measures that opened India to global markets, fostering a new era of economic development”.
“Furthermore, his contributions to India’s foreign policy, language and education sectors underscore his multifaceted legacy as a leader who not only steered India through critical transformations but also enriched its cultural and intellectual heritage,” he said.
Of Charan Singh, the PM said the honour was dedicated to “his incomparable contribution to the country”. “He had dedicated his entire life to the rights and welfare of farmers. Be it as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh or the Home Minister of the country and even as an MLA, he always gave impetus to nation-building. He also stood firm against the Emergency. His dedication to our farmer brothers and sisters and his commitment to democracy during the Emergency is inspiring to the entire nation,” Modi said on X.
The Bharat Ratna to Dr M.S. Swaminathan, Modi said, was “in recognition of his monumental contributions to our nation in agriculture and farmers’ welfare”.
Swaminathan, he added, played a pivotal role in helping India achieve self-reliance in agriculture during challenging times and made outstanding efforts towards modernising Indian agriculture.
“We also recognise his invaluable work as an innovator and mentor and encourage learning and research among several students. Dr. Swaminathan’s visionary leadership has not only transformed Indian agriculture but also ensured the nation’s food security and prosperity. He was someone I knew closely and l always valued his insights and inputs,” Modi said on X.
Earlier this Month, a Bharat Ratna was also announced by Modi for BJP veteran leader L.K. Advani. In January, former Bihar CM and socialist icon Karpoori Thakur was given the Bharat Ratna by the government.
After Modi’s announcement, Chaudhary Charan Singh’s son Jayant Singh posted on X that his heart had been won.
दिल जीत लिया! #BharatRatna https://t.co/Ns0CraJ7yI
— Jayant Singh (@jayantrld) February 9, 2024
There is speculation that Jayant’s party Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) is abandoning the Opposition INDIA alliance to join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. Incidentally, Samajwadi Party chief and INDIA member Akhilesh Yadav had recently given the RLD seven seats for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
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