It’s former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s first death anniversary, and, hence, tributes poured in from all sections.
The BJP remembered him with a black-and-white tribute video. Senior BJP leaders also paid their tributes and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh credited the ‘statesman’ with turning India into a “responsible” nuclear nation, but also issued a warning. Read below to find out.
मां भारती को विश्व में गौरवान्वित करने वाले श्रद्धेय अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी जी को भावभीनी श्रद्धांजलि। pic.twitter.com/PsD9Q8pN20
— BJP (@BJP4India) August 16, 2019
अटलजी भारतीय राजनीति के ऐसे युगपुरूष थे जिन्होंने मूल्यों एवं आदर्शों के साथ शुचिता एवं सुशासन की राजनीति को बढ़ावा दिया। उनका, सबका साथ सबका विश्वास का भाव आज भी हम सबके लिए प्रेरणा है।
अटलजी की प्रथम पुण्यतिथि पर मैं उन्हें नमन करते हुए अपनी श्रद्धांजलि अर्पित करता हूँ।
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) August 16, 2019
The Congress remembered Vajpayee. The party’s official handle put out a message in Vajpayee’s honour and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot even posted a special tweet. We guess death really does unite.
We honour the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for his immense contribution to the nation. pic.twitter.com/8fF4sYQWmQ
— Congress (@INCIndia) August 16, 2019
Tributes to former Prime Minister, Bharat Ratna, Sh. #AtalBihariVajpayee ji on his death anniversary. pic.twitter.com/wI6skGAaFU
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) August 16, 2019
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech drew appreciation from all corners, including one from an unexpected quarter: Congress Rajya Sabha MP P. Chidambaram. Listing out three things he felt were important in the speech, the former union minister tweeted that he hoped the finance minister and her “legion” of tax officials had taken special note of the second point.
All of us must welcome three announcements made by the PM on I-Day
> Small family is a patriotic duty
> Respect wealth creators
> Shun single-use plastic
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) August 16, 2019
Here’s a charming exchange of tweets as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wished Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal happy birthday.
Thank u so much Didi. https://t.co/aKjOcbofZt
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 16, 2019
Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu has a plea on twitter: To #ReOpenAnnaCanteens. Read below to find more.
Lakhs of people have lost the opportunity to eat a nutritious meal at a paltry Rs. 5 and more than 20,000 employees have lost their livelihood. What wrong did people do to be punished like this? #ReOpenAnnaCanteens pic.twitter.com/qVMb4EvSuP
— N Chandrababu Naidu #StayHomeSaveLives (@ncbn) August 16, 2019
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra first called out the ‘shocking’ verdict in the Pehlu Khan lynching case and then congratulated Rajasthan government for enacting a law against mob lynching. Will the law pave way for justice, ma’am?
पहलू खान मामले में लोअर कोर्ट का फैसला चौंका देने वाला है। हमारे देश में अमानवीयता की कोई जगह नहीं होनी चाहिए और भीड़ द्वारा हत्या एक जघन्य अपराध है।
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) August 16, 2019
राजस्थान सरकार द्वारा भीड़ द्वारा हत्या के खिलाफ कानून बनाने की पहल सराहनीय है। आशा है कि पहलू खान मामले में न्याय दिलाकर इसका अच्छा उदाहरण पेश किया जाएगा।
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) August 16, 2019
Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati was, however, less appreciative of the Rajasthan government on Pehlu Khan case.
राजस्थान कांग्रेस सरकार की घोर लापरवाही व निष्क्रियता के कारण बहुचर्चित पहलू खान माब लिंचिंग मामले में सभी 6 आरोपी वहाँ की निचली अदालत से बरी हो गए, यह अतिदुर्भाग्यपूर्ण है। पीड़ित परिवार को न्याय दिलाने के मामले में वहाँ की सरकार अगर सतर्क रहती तो क्या यह संभव था, शायद कभी नहीं।
— Mayawati (@Mayawati) August 16, 2019
After IAS officer-turned-politician Shah Faesal was reportedly detained, Twitter went into a frenzy. Here’s a very upset activist Shehla Rashid, also a member of Faesal’s political party, condemning the incident.
If Dr. Karan Singh is allowed to have his opinion on Kashmir, then Dr. Shah Faesal should also be allowed to have his. The travesty is that Shah Faesal is jailed for his opinion, whereas Karan Singh can have his, which is widely quoted and celebrated. #Kashmir https://t.co/ns6ZOi60ip
— Shehla Rashid (@Shehla_Rashid) August 16, 2019
US Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders stood up for his colleagues Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib after Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu stopped them from visiting his country. Sanders was ‘disgusted’ by Trump. Here’s why.
Anti-Semitism is not some abstract idea to me. It is very personal. It destroyed a good part of my family. I absolutely reject Trump's disgusting efforts to exploit fear of anti-Semitism to attack my colleagues. pic.twitter.com/IwpSmxcnHF
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) August 15, 2019
And behold this wrist decorated with rakhis — looks like Congress leader Milind Deora had a great rakshabandhan.
#RakhiTwitter pic.twitter.com/MwaXUM21Th
— Milind Deora मिलिंद देवरा (@milinddeora) August 15, 2019