- By Kamal Kumar
- Fri, 09 Feb 2024 10:38 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Bharat Ratna News: The central government on Friday announced the Bharat Ratna to three prominent personalities of the country. Former Prime Minister and possibly the tallest farmer leader the nation ever witnessed, Chaudhary Charan Singh, great agricultural scientist MS Swaminathan and the flagbearer of the liberalisation of Indian economy, PV Narsimha Rao were conferred with the great award. The choice of names for the prestigious award reflected various themes, from a focus on the farmers to striking political balance ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The announcements first came to light with the posts of PM Modi on the microblogging site 'X'. While announcing the Bharat Ratna to the stalwart of agricultural politics, Chaudhary Charan Singh, PM Modi emphasised his 'incomparable contribution to the country.'
हमारी सरकार का यह सौभाग्य है कि देश के पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री चौधरी चरण सिंह जी को भारत रत्न से सम्मानित किया जा रहा है। यह सम्मान देश के लिए उनके अतुलनीय योगदान को समर्पित है। उन्होंने किसानों के अधिकार और उनके कल्याण के लिए अपना पूरा जीवन समर्पित कर दिया था। उत्तर प्रदेश के… pic.twitter.com/gB5LhaRkIv
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 9, 2024
"He had dedicated his entire life to the rights and welfare of farmers. Be it the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh or the Home Minister of the country and even as an MLA, he always gave impetus to nation building. He also stood firm against the Emergency. His dedication to our farmer brothers and sisters and his commitment to democracy during the Emergency is inspiring to the entire nation," the PM said.
Announcing the award of the Bharat Ratna to eminent scientist and father of Green Revolution in India, MS Swaminathan, PM Modi said that 'he played a pivotal role in helping India achieve self-reliance in agriculture during challenging times and made outstanding efforts towards modernizing Indian agriculture.'
It is a matter of immense joy that the Government of India is conferring the Bharat Ratna on Dr. MS Swaminathan Ji, in recognition of his monumental contributions to our nation in agriculture and farmers’ welfare. He played a pivotal role in helping India achieve self-reliance in… pic.twitter.com/OyxFxPeQjZ
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 9, 2024
PM Modi also announced the award to former Prime Minister PV Narsimha Rao for his visionary reforms in India's economy. PM took to 'X' and wrote: 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.
Delighted to share that our former Prime Minister, Shri PV Narasimha Rao Garu, will be honoured with the Bharat Ratna.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 9, 2024
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… pic.twitter.com/lihdk2BzDU
The three Bharat Ratna: another master stroke by Modi government?
The recent Bharat Ratnas to the three eminent personalities reflects PM Modi's acumen in understanding the aspirations of the public. While the award to former PM Charan Singh underscores the Modi government's commitment to the agricultural sector and the farmers, it also helped the BJP in getting the support of RLD back in its fold. While the memory of farm laws agitation is going to linger a little while, this step would help the party in getting some of the farmers' votes back.
The award to the late scientist MS Swaminathan also has the potential of resonating with the farmers while it will also help the party gain trust in South India, where it has been seeing almost nil support.
The award also portrays the non-partisan attitude of the Modi government as two of the awardees come from a non-BJP political background.