New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said the conferment of Bharat Ratna on former prime ministers P V Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh, agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan and two-time former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur showed Modi government's commitment towards farmers, downtrodden and backward people.
President Droupadi Murmu conferred Bharat Ratna on Rao, Singh, Swaminathan and Thakur posthumously at a ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Saturday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah and others attended the event.
In a series of posts on 'X' in both Hindi and English, Shah said honouring the four leading figures of the country with India's highest civilian award showed the Narendra Modi government's commitment towards farmers, and downtrodden and backward people of the country.
"It is a landmark day as the visionary statesman PV Narasimha Rao Garu has been honoured with the Bharat Ratna today by Rashtrapati Smt Droupadi Murmu," he said.
Shah said Rao led the nation during a critical juncture and embarked on a journey of bold reforms, laying the foundation of a modern, liberalised economy.
"Envisioning social justice, Rao also paved the way for the upliftment of marginalised groups. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to PM @narendramodi for the decision to honour the legendary leader with the highest civilian award," he said.
The home minister said the president has honoured the great freedom fighter, former prime minister and farmer leader Chaudhary Charan Singh with Bharat Ratna, which is an honour for crores of farmers of the country.
He said Singh struggled throughout his life for the establishment of democracy and social justice and did the historic work of establishing farmers at the centre of politics of an agriculture-based nation.
"I express my gratitude to Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi for realising the farmer-centric governance of Chaudhary Charan Singh," he said.
On Swaminathan, Shah said he was an "epochal figure" in the county's history. He said Swaminathan transformed the fate of the nation and millions of impoverished people with his scientific brilliance.
The architect of the 'Green Revolution', Swaminathan worked with "unflinching determination" towards ensuring that the benefits reached the farmers, he said.
"Conferring Swaminathan with the Bharat Ratna by Rashtrapati Smt Droupadi Murmu today is a reiteration of the Modi government's commitment to the farmers. Gratitude to PM @narendramodi," he said.
Referring to Thakur, the home minister said the day will be remembered for ages in the history of the struggle of the underprivileged.
"Today, Honourable President Smt. Droupadi Murmu has honoured the struggle for the rights of backward and extremely backward people by honouring Jannayak Karpoori Thakur with Bharat Ratna.
"The seed of empowerment of backward classes which was sown by Karpoori Thakur from the land of Bihar, is being taken forward today by the Modi government," he said.
P V Prabhakar Rao, the son of former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao, received the award conferred on his father from the president.
Jayant Chaudhary, Singh's grandson and chief of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), accepted the honour from Murmu.
Swaminathan's daughter Nitya Rao and Thakur's son Ram Nath Thakur received the award from the president.
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