In a significant announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi revealed on Saturday morning that veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Lal Krishna Advani, a key figure in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement during the 1990s, will be conferred with the prestigious Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award.
Expressing his joy, PM Modi shared on ‘X’, “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 Modi described the 96-year-old statesman as “one of the most respected statesmen of our times,” highlighting Advani’s monumental contribution to the development of India.
Acknowledging Advani’s extensive political career, PM Modi praised him for serving as Deputy Prime Minister, Home Minister, and I&B Minister, with exemplary parliamentary interventions and rich insights. Modi emphasized Advani’s unwavering commitment to transparency, integrity, and political ethics throughout his decades-long service in public life.
Describing the award as an emotional moment, PM Modi stated, “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.”
Advani, who played a crucial role in shaping the BJP’s core ideology, is credited with the party’s rise in the 1990s, leading to its first-time victory as the head of coalition governments under Atal Bihari Vajpayee. As the BJP’s longest-serving president, Advani has been instrumental in building the party alongside Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Recalling his early political career, Advani joined BJP’s predecessor Jana Sangh in 1951 and played key roles in the party’s growth. Notably, in 1990, he led the ‘Ram Rath Yatra,’ a chariot procession aimed at mobilizing support for the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, significantly impacting the 1991 general election where the BJP emerged as the second-largest party.
The decision to confer the Bharat Ratna on Advani is seen as a tribute to his pivotal role in shaping the BJP’s ideology, which continues to dominate Indian politics under PM Modi’s leadership. This announcement follows the posthumous awarding of the Bharat Ratna to former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur on January 24.
Advani’s honor comes in a year marking the consecration of the Ram temple, symbolizing a triumphant closure for the BJP on a longstanding issue.
