Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said on Sunday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is awarding Bharat Ratna “to whoever comes to his mind”. He alleged that PM Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) “needs vote in Bihar and that’s why Bharat Ratna has been awarded to Karpoori Thakur (former chief minister of Bihar)”.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, however, clarified that he doesn’t mean “whoever has been conferred with the Bharat Ratna is wrong”.
“…now the BJP wants votes in the Lok Sabha polls from Bihar so announced the Bharat Ratna for him posthumously. I am happy his (Thakur’s) work is being acknowledged after so many years,” Thackeray was quoted by PTI as saying.
“Earlier there were rules on how many Bharat Ratna could be awarded and to whom and when they could be awarded. PM Narendra Modi is awarding it to whoever comes to his mind, “Thackeray was quoted by ANI as saying
Thackeray added that the BJP announced Dr S Swaminathan’s name for the Bharat Ratna but has failed to implement the recommendation made by a commission headed by him on increasing farm income. “People can see through this hollowness,” Thackeray claimed.
This year, the Centre announced Bharat Ratna – the country’s highest civilian award – for former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, PV Narasimha Rao, agricultural scientist MS Swaminathan and Karpoori Thakur posthumously, as well as veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani.
At five, this is the maximum number of Bharat Ratna announced for a year. Four Bharat Ratna awards were announced in 1999.
Several political leaders cutting across party lines welcomed the announcement of Bharat Ratna for PV Narasimha Rao, Chaudhary Charan Singh and MS Swaminathan on Friday and said they deserved the honour.
Janata Dal (United) MP Rajeev Ranjan Singh described the recipients of the country’s highest civilian honour as “gems” of India.
“They are gems of India who have been given Bharat Ratna. Not just the three names announced today, Karpuri Thakur and L K Advani, whose names were announced some days ago, all of them are gems,” Ranjan was quoted by PTI as saying.
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Published: 11 Feb 2024, 05:30 PM IST