Veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi on Saturday met and congratulated his party colleague LK Advani at his residence in Delhi following the announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the esteemed Bharat Ratna award. Earlier in the day, Advani's family expressed their joy and thanked PM Modi for honouring him with the country's highest honour.
According to news agency ANI, Murli Manohar Joshi said, "I met Lal Krishna Advani ji to congratulate him for being conferred with Bharat Ratna. People across the country are extremely happy with this decision. I am fortunate to get the opportunity to work with Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Nanaji Deshmukh and Lal Krishna Advani."
LK Advani 'Had Tears In His Eyes', Daughter Says As Family Celebrates Bharat Ratna Honour
Earlier, Pratibha Advani, the daughter of LK Advani, was observed seated alongside her father at his residence in Delhi. She extended her congratulations to him, presenting a laddu, reported ANI.
While expressing her happiness, Pratibha Advani said, "The entire family is very happy that 'Dada' (LK Advani) has received the country's highest honour. Today I miss my mother the most because her contribution to his life, be it personal or political life is huge. When I told Dada, he was very happy and said that he spent his entire life in the service of his country. He thanked PM Modi and the people of the country for honouring him with such a big award."
"He is very overwhelmed. He is a man of few words. But he had tears in his eyes. He was very happy even at the time of Pran Pratishtha of Ram temple. This was such a dream of his life for which he struggled and worked for a long time. His personality is such that when someone praises him, tears come to his eyes," she further stated.
Speaking to ANI, Jayant Advani, the son of veteran BJP leader LK Advani, expressed his delight at the acknowledgment of his endeavors in such a splendid manner at this stage of his life. "My family and I are extremely delighted with this new development. I would like to thank PM Narendra Modi for conferring this award on my father. My father's contribution to public life has been immense and it is wonderful to note that at this stage in his life, his efforts are being recognised in this magnificent way," he said.
Previously, while making the announcement, PM Narendra Modi honoured the veteran BJP leader saying, "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 also emphasised, "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."
LK Advani was born in Karachi, present-day Pakistan, on November 8, 1927, and held the position of President of the Bharatiya Janata Party for the longest duration since its establishment in 1980. Concluding a parliamentary career spanning almost three decades, he served as the Home Minister and later as the Deputy Prime Minister in the cabinet of Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1999-2004).
In the latter half of the 1980s and the 1990s, LK Advani dedicated himself to the task of transforming the BJP into a national political force. The outcomes of his efforts were evident in the 1989 General Election. The Party rebounded from its 1984 tally of 2 to achieve a remarkable 86 seats. The Party's standing rose to 121 seats in 1992 and 161 in 1996, marking the 1996 elections as a pivotal moment in Indian democracy. For the first time since independence, the Congress was removed from its predominant position, and the BJP emerged as the single largest party in the Lok Sabha.