Bharat Ratna for Vajpayee, Malaviya

READ: Madan Mohan Malviya – A great patriot

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 24, 2014

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 24, 2014

“The President has been pleased to award Bharat Ratna to Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya (posthumously) and to Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee,” said the one-line communique from Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Last year, when the then UPA government announced the Bharat Ratna for scientist C N R Rao and cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, the BJP had crticised the government for ignoring Vajpayee.

Describing Vajpayee as “one of the most outstanding prime ministers and leader that the country has seen in post-independence era,” Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said, “He believed in taking the country forward through consensus and is the greatest communicator India has seen.”

“He is an anmol ratna. He is one of the rare leaders who is not only recognised in India but even outside the country… We have decided to celebrate his birthday as ‘Good Governance Day’ and all parliamentarians and ministers have been asked to go to their constituencies and organise cultural programmes. The Bharat Ratna has come at the appropriate time,” said Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

Singh also described Malaviya as a great educationist and freedom fighter. “The Bharat Ratna is a recognition of his tremendous contribution,” he said.

Malaviya was president of the Indian National Congress and also one of the intial members of the Hindu Mahasabha. He set up the Banaras Hindu University. Malaviya’s grandson, Giridhar Malaviya, a former judge, was one of the proposers for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s candidature from the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat earlier this year.

From the homepage

Upping the ante over SIR, how Mamata is laying TMC groundwork for 2026 Bengal polls

G20 Summit: In Johannesburg, PM Modi proposes four initiatives, including one to counter drug-terror nexus

‘Go to your country’: Foreign DJ claims Goa police officer misbehaved with her, probe initiated