NEW DELHI, 3 Feb: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Saturday that BJP stalwart and former deputy prime minister Lal Krishna Advani will be conferred the Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian award, and described it as a “very emotional moment for me”.
Modi was effusive in his praise of the contribution of the BJP’s longest-serving president to public life. First in his posts on X and then at a public meeting in Odisha, Modi hailed Advani as one of the most respected statesmen who challenged dynasty politics and connected India’s democracy to “all-inclusive and nationalist ideologies.”
Advani (96) greeted journalists at his home from a distance and later said in a statement that the award is not only an honour for him as a person but also for the ideals and principles that he strove to serve throughout life to the best of his ability.
He expressed happiness and thanked President Droupadi Murmu and Modi for the award.
Ever since he joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as its volunteer at the age of 14 years, he has sought reward in only one thing, “in dedicated and selfless service of my beloved country in whatever task life assigned to me”, he said.
He said what has inspired his life is the motto: “This life is not mine. My life is for my nation.”
BJP leaders, including Union ministers and chief ministers, and allies lauded Advani who led his party’s full-throttle embrace of the movement to build the Ram temple in Ayodhya and spearheaded the ‘Rath Yatra’ which transformed politics, especially in north India, forever and fuelled the BJP’s rise.
Soon after the prime minister’s announcement, a communication from the Rashtrapati Bhavan said the President has been pleased to award the Bharat Ratna to Advani.
Advani’s contemporary and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was bestowed the same honour in 2015. Advani is the 50th person to receive this. (PTI)
