Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader LK Advani will get the coveted Bharat Ratna award, describing the party stalwart's contributions to India's progress as "monumental". In a post on X, the Prime Minister stated that he was blessed to meet with and learn from Advani.
He said: "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. 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."
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"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?
When Syama Prasad Mookerjee created the Jana Sangh, the BJP's forerunner, in 1951, Advani joined it. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1970, where he served till 1989. In December 1972, he was elected President of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh.
Advani was named Janata Party information and broadcasting minister in 1975, during Morarji Desai's tenure as prime minister.
He and Atal Bihari Vajpayee were instrumental in forming the BJP in 1980.
He rose to fame in the 1990s as a leader in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, which advocated for the construction of a temple on the disputed site in Ayodhya.
Advani was the Deputy Prime Minister of Atal Bihari Vajpayee's cabinet, and he also headed many departments. He was a member of both Houses of Parliament from 1970 until 2019.