Bharat Ratna Archives - Lokmarg

Murmu Confers Bharat Ratna Posthumously On Narasimha Rao, Charan Singh

By LokMarg 30th March 2024

President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday conferred Bharat Ratna on four eminent personalities, including two former Prime Ministers, Chaudhary Charan Singh and PV Narasimha Rao. Former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur and agronomist MS Swaminathan were also conferred with the country’s highest civilian award.

The central government announced five names for the Bharat Ratna this year, which also included BJP leader LK Advani.

Sources said that President Murmu will pay a visit to senior BJP leader LK Advani’s residence and confer him with the prestigious award. This was decided in view of the ailing health of the veteran BJP leader Advani, they added.

Former PM Charan Singh’s award was received by his grandson, Jayant Singh, and PV Narasimha Rao’s award was received by his son, PV Prabhakar Rao.

MS Swaminathan’s daughter, Nitya Rao, received the award for her father and Karpoori Thakur’s award was received by his son, Ram Nath Thakur.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP National President JP Nadda, Congress leader and LoP Mallikarjun Kharge were present among other leaders on the occasion.

Born on June 28, 1921, in Karimnagar, Telangana, being an agriculturist and an advocate, Narsimha Rao joined politics and held some important portfolios. He was the Minister of Law and Information, 1962-64; Law and Endowments, 1964-67; Health and Medicine, 1967 and Education, 1968-71, Government of Andhra Pradesh. He was the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh from 1971-73 and General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee from 1975-76.

Trained as a plant geneticist, Swaminathan’s significant contributions to India’s agricultural sector have earned him a reputation as the scientific leader of India’s green revolution movement. His work has been instrumental in the agricultural renaissance of India.

Born in Karachi, in present-day Pakistan, on November 8, 1927, Advani has served as the President of the Bharatiya Janata Party for the longest period since its inception in 1980. Capping a parliamentary career of nearly three decades, he was, first, the Home Minister and, later, the Deputy Prime Minister in the cabinet of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1999-2004).

Karpoori Thakur was born in 1924 in one of the most backward sections of society, the Nai Samaj. He was a remarkable leader whose political journey was marked by his unwavering commitment to the marginalised sections of society. He served as the Chief Minister of Bihar and was a key figure in the struggle against social discrimination and inequality. His commitment to affirmative action gave representation and opportunities to the poor, oppressed, exploited and deprived sections of the country.

Chaudhary Charan Singh was born in 1902 at Noorpur in Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh, in a middle class peasant family. He shifted to Meerut in 1929 and later joined the Congress. He was first elected to the UP Legislative Assembly in 1937 from Chhaprauli and represented the constituency in 1946, 1952, 1962 and 1967. He became Parliamentary Secretary in Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant’s Government in 1946 and worked in various departments such as Revenue, Medical and Public Health, Justice, Information etc.

In June 1951, he was appointed Cabinet Minister in the State and given charge of the Departments of Justice and Information. Later, he took over as the Minister for Revenue and Agriculture in the Cabinet of Sampurnanand in 1952. When he resigned in April 1959, he was holding charge of the Department of Revenue and Transport. (ANI)

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BJP Has Turned Bharat Ratna Into A Deal: Tejashwi Yadav

By LokMarg 12th February 2024

Launching a scathing attack over the announcement of conferring Bharat Ratna to former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur (posthumously), former Bihar Deputy CM and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Monday said that the BJP has made Bharat Ratna a deal.

“I am happy that Karpoori Thakur got (Bharat Ratna)…They (BJP) have made Bharat Ratna a deal. Deal with us and we will give you Bharat Ratna,” former Bihar Deputy CM said in Bihar Vidhan Sabha ahead of the floor test of CM Nitish Kumar’s government to prove their majority.

The RJD leader congratulated Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for scripting history by taking oath for the ninth consecutive time.

“I stand against this new government. I want to thank CM Nitish Kumar for creating history by taking oath 9 times,” he said.

“We will always respect CM Nitish Kumar. When you came out of Raj Bhavan after resigning, you (Nitish Kumar) said ‘Mann nhi lag raha tha, hum log nachne gaane ke liye thode hai (we were not there to dance and sing), we were there to support you,” the RJD leader added.

Calling himself the “nephew” of Nitish Kumar, Tejashwi Yadav said he will stop the BJP juggernaut.

“We think of you (CM Nitish Kumar) as a member of our family. We are from the Samajwadi family. Jo aap jhanda le kar ke chale the ki Modi ko desh mein rokne hain, ab aapka Bhateeja jhanda utha kar ke Modi ko Bihar mein rokne ka kaam karega (the flag you had raised to stop the BJP across the country, now your nephew will carry that flag and stop Modi in Bihar),” he said.

He said that he feels bad for the MLAs of the JDU as they will have to go among the public and answer why Nitish Kumar took oath three times in a single term.

“I feel bad for JDU MLAs because they will have to go among the public and answer. If someone asks you why Nitish Kumar took oath 3 times, what will you say? Earlier you used to criticise them (BJP) and now you are praising them, what will you say? We (RJD) will say that we have given jobs,” the RJD leader said.

Taking a jibe at Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi for supporting the JDU and NDA alliance, Tejashwi Yadav said, “In the last session, when Jitan Ram Manjhi presented his views, the CM got angry and later Manjhi Ji said that someone gave you (Nitish Kumar) wrong medicine and that his mental condition was not good and should be treated. Now I have full trust that Manjhi Ji will give good medicine.”

Earlier in January, Nitish, who had reportedly gone into a sulk after not being named the convenor of INDIA, the Opposition bloc that took shape through his efforts, dumped the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) in Bihar and the national coalition to form a new government with the support of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Putting to rest frenzied speculations around his future and that of the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar, Nitish resigned as chief minister on January 28, his second volte face in less than 18 months.

The JD(U) has 45 MLAs in the House of 243 while its partners, the BJP and the Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S), have 79 and 4 sitting legislators respectively. With the support of another Independent MLA, the NDA has 128 MLAs in the House against 115 of the Mahagathbandhan.

To go past the majority mark in the House, the ruling alliance needs 122 votes. (ANI)

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Never Acknowledged By Gandhi-Nehru Family: Sharmistha

By LokMarg 9th February 2024

Calling the announcement of Bharat Ratna to be conferred upon former PM PV Narasimha Rao “fantastic”, author and daughter of former President Pranab Mukherjee, Sharmistha Mukherjee on Friday said that former Prime Minister who ushered economic reforms in India was “never acknowledged by Gandhi-Nehru family.”

“This is fantastic news… The way PV Narasimha Rao was ignored and sidelined by his own party… He was the person who ushered economic reforms in India but this Gandhi-Nehru family never acknowledged it and didn’t even allow his mortal remains to enter the AICC after his death,” Mukherjee told ANI on Friday.

She further said that the announcement taken by Narendra Modi’s government is “absolute magnanimity and graciousness”.

“I think it’s the absolute magnanimity and graciousness of Narendra Modi’s government to confer and recognize the greatness and contribution of the Prime minister who belongs to Congress,” she added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced that former PMs Chaudhary Charan Singh and PV Narasimha Rao will be conferred the Bharat Ratna. Along with them, MS Swaminathan also known as the father of the green revolution will also be awarded the country’s highest civilian award.

In a line-up post on X, PM Modi said that as a distinguished scholar and statesman, Narasimha Rao served India extensively in various capacities.

“Delighted to share that our former Prime Minister, PV Narasimha Rao Garu, will be honoured with the Bharat Ratna. As a distinguished scholar and statesman, Narasimha Rao Garu 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. His visionary leadership was instrumental in making India economically advanced, laying a solid foundation for the country’s prosperity and growth,” the PM said.

“Narasimha Rao Garu’s tenure as Prime Minister 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 added.

Born on June 28, 1921, in Karimnagar, Telangana, being an agriculturist and an advocate, Narasimha Rao joined politics and held some important portfolios. He was the Minister of Law and Information, 1962-64; Law and Endowments, 1964-67; Health and Medicine, 1967 and Education, 1968-71, Government of Andhra Pradesh. He was the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh from 1971-73 and General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee from 1975-76. (ANI)

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Mulayam Should Have Got Bharat Ratna: Swami Prasad Maurya

By LokMarg 27th January 2023

Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Swami Prasad Maurya on Friday targeted the BJP-led central government, saying the Padma Vibhushan award doesn’t do justice to the persona and standing of the late party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav as he deserved the Bharat Ratna.

Annoucing this year’s picks for the coveted Padma awards on the eve of the 74th Republic Day, on Wednesday, the Centre named the former Defence Minister and Uttar Pradesh chief minister for Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian honour in the country after Bharat Ratna.
The late SP stalwart, a long-time Parliamentarian, passed away last year afrer prolonged illness.

Speaking to mediapersons in Lucknow on Friday, the SP leader, who was formerly with the BJP, said, “Netaji Mulayam Singh Yadav should a ‘Bharat Ratna’. The ‘Padma Vibhushan’ is not beffting of his stature and personality. The government still has time to honour him with a Bharat Ratna.”

On his recent remark, demanding deleting of certain “insulting comments and sarcasm” in Ramcharitmanas, a poem on the epic Ramayana, Maurya said, “I respect all religions. I merely objected to certain verses in Ramcharitmanas which hurts the sentiments of 97 per cent Hindus. Those verses reflect poorly on our own religion. They also advocate killing women and the Shudras. This is nothing but an abuse and no religion should stand for such abuse and insult.”

“I just sought the deletion of a few lines that are disrespectful of women, Adivasis and the Dalits. All communities are being disrespected in the state since the SP was voted out of power. After the BJP came to power, 5, Kalidas Marg (the CM’s official residence in Lucknow) was cleansed with Gangajal (water from River Ganga),” added Maurya.

However, he was quick to clarify that his remarks on the holy verses were his own and does not reflect his party’s position.

Coming down heavily on self-styled godman Dhirendra Krishna Shastri alias Bageshwar Dham Sarkar, the SP leader said no religion should have place for such ‘pretence’ and ‘hypocrisy’.

The godman claimed that he would make India a ‘Hindu rashtra’ if he gathers enough public support to the cause and also exhorted people to practise ‘Sanatan Dharma’.

Earlier, an FIR was filed against Maurya at Lucknow’s Hazratganj police station over his statement on Ramcharitmanas. (ANI)

BJP Lashes Rahul Over Comparisons With Lord Ram

By LokMarg 27th December 2022

BJP lashed at Congress leader Salman Khurshid on Tuesday for comparing Rahul Gandhi with Lord Rama. BJP National Spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia on Tuesday said that the Congress can do any kind of politics to get votes.

“It is in the DNA of the Congress party. If they want votes, they can do any kind of politics and this is the reason behind Salman Khurshid comparing our adorable deity Lord Shri Ram with such a person (Rahul Gandhi) who is out on bail and the people of India will give him the answer,” said Gaurav.
Saying that it is complete sycophancy comparing a person who is out on bail on the charges of corruption with Lord Ram, the BJP spokesperson said that this in itself shows that there is no dearth of sycophancy in the Congress party.

“The victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s ideology is clearly visible. This is the same Congress which used to say that Lord Ram is imaginary,” he said.

“It is very clear that the Congress leaders won’t hesitate to do politics only for the sake of votes. It is in the DNA of Congress party leaders,” he added.

It is not wrong to call Rahul Gandhi a Hypocrite Hindu, said Gaurav. “When elections come, he becomes a hypocrite Hindu,” teased Bhatiya.

“Why did PV Narasimha Rao or Sitaram Kesari not get proper respect? Whether it is Iron man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel or Dr. BR Ambedkar or Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, no one was given their deserved respect by the Congress,” alleged the BJP spokesperson.

He said, “Dr. BR Ambedkar and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel received Bharat Ratna in 1990 and 1991. However, Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi were given Bharat Ratna by their own cabinets. Even Rajiv Gandhi also got Bharat Ratna in 1991.”

He also said that it shows that Rahul Gandhi indulges in the politics of hypocrisy and it would be better if he thinks about the ideals of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. (ANI)