Soon after the Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla at Ayodhya, one of the main architects of Ram Temple movement, Lal Krishna Advani has been conferred with Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award.
Advani has become the third BJP leader after former prime minister and his contemporary Atal Bihari Vajpayee and founder member of BJP Nanaji Deshmukh, who had received this coveted award.
Vajpayee had received this honour in 2015 when he was 90. Advani is getting his honour at the age of 96. Last month, the government had announced for give Bharat Ratna honour to the socialist leader Karpoori Thakur of Bihar.
So far 48 personalities of the country have been conferred with this award. karpoori Thakur will be 49th and Advani will be 50th dignitary to receive this honour. Advani brought BJP into national reckoning by launching Rath Yatra for Ram temple in early 90s.
The procession began from Somnath in Gujarat and reached Ayodhya. His Rath Yatra received popular support.
“I am very happy to share that Shri LK Advani Ji will be conferred the Bharat Ratna. I also spoke to him and congratulated him on being conferred this honour,” PM Narendra Modi wrote on X.
PM Modi, while announcing the honour for the veteran, said LK Advani's role in the development of India is monumental. He called him one of the most respected statesmen of India.
“One of the most respected statesmen of our times, his contribution to the development of India is monumental. His is a life that started from working at the grassroots to serving the nation as our Deputy Prime Minister. He distinguished himself as our Home Minister and I&B Minister as well. His Parliamentary interventions have always been exemplary, full of rich insights,” he said.
“Advani Ji's decades-long service in public life has been marked by an unwavering commitment to transparency and integrity, setting an exemplary standard in political ethics. He has made unparalleled efforts towards furthering national unity and cultural resurgence. The conferring of the Bharat Ratna on him is a very emotional moment for me. I will always consider it my privilege that I got countless opportunities to interact with him and learn from him,” he added.
Who is LK Advani?
Lal Krishna Advani is one of murties of Trimurty of BJP – Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi. While Vajpayee has passed away, Joshi and Advani have been relegated to the political sidelines.
Lal Krishna Advani was born in Karachi and then migrated to Bombay after partition.
In 1951, he became a member of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, which was founded by BJP icon Syama Prasad Mookerjee. The Jana Sangh was the political precursor to the BJP.
Advani became the member of the Rajya Sabha for the first time in 1970. He served four RS terms till 1989.
He first became the minister for information and broadcasting and leader of the house in Rajya Sabha in 1977, following the Janata Party's victory in the general elections.
He is one of the founding members of the BJP. He served as the president of the party three times.
In 1989, he became a Lok Sabha member for the first time.
When the Atal Bihari Vajpayee formed a government in 1999, Advani served as the minister of home affairs and the deputy prime minister.
In 2015, LK Advani was conferred with the Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian honour.
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