New Delhi, 24 Dec 2014: A day ahead of their birth anniversaries, former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the late freedom fighter-educationist Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya were named for India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna.
“The president has been pleased to award Bharat Ratna to Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya (posthmously) and to Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee,” a Rashtrapati Bhavan communique said.
Incidentally, both Vajpayee and Malaviya were born Dec 25 — the former in 1924 and the latter in 1861. Their birthday has also been declared as “Good Governance Day” by the government.
The honour for Gwalior-born Vajpayee, who was the country’s prime minister first in 1996 and then again from 1998 to 2004, came after years of demands from people across party affiliations and the public at large.
The 90-year-old veteran politician had re-started the Bharatiya Jan Sangh as the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1980 and was the first head of government from outside the Congress party to serve a full five-year term.
He served the Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament, for 10 terms that began in 1957 and concluded in 2009.
An orator par excellence, Vajpayee had earned much fame as India’s external affairs minister in Prime Minister Morarji Desai government during which tenure he delivered a widely acclaimed speech to the United Nations General Assembly in Hindi.
Allahabad-born Malaviya was the president of the Indian National Congress for two terms and was also among the first leaders of the right-wing Hindu Mahasabha. Besides being a freedom fighter and politician, he was also an eminent educationist.
The Banaras Hindu University was founded by him in 1916. He died a year before India’s independence Aug 15, 1947.—-IANS
Why Bharat Ratna only for Indians and very few foreigners ? why Bharat Ratna did not go globally ? One can see the effect of political influence is damaging in nation building. If tomorrow communist come in power they will give Bharat Ratna for their member, will go on. This type political influence is nothing but an equivalent to corruption.
hahaa … u illiterate , its bharat ratna .. supposed to be given only to indian and not a UN award … try finding Yahud or Hanud hand in this too
You cannot even laugh, if it is for only Indian was Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was an Indian, Mother Terresa was an Indian and Nelson Mendela was an Indian ? than you have proved that you are illiterate of illiterates ?
The Bharat Ratna is the recognition of a person’s lifelong contribution and service to the country in a particular field.
An objective analysis of Vajpayee’s life is in order. His role in the freedom movement has always been questioned. His confessional statement in 1942 on non-involvement in the Quit India Movement is well recorded. He has been a lifelong member of the RSS (no proof required for that at least), again an organisation with no association at all with the freedom struggle. In independent India, Vajpayee has been in active politics for at least six decades, but again serving the cause of the RSS and the Jan Sangh.
http://www.ndtv.com/article/blog/vajpayee-a-bharat-ratna-unfair-639842
Good and eye opener article. shame for giving highest award to this person.