Bharat Ratna For L K Advani ; A Fitting Reward To One Of The Giants In Indian Politics

As the BJP’s long-standing promise in their election manifestoes for years of building grand Ram Temple finally became a reality with the historic #PranPratishtha on January 22, 2024, one leader’s name came to the mind instantly as history was written in Ayodhya  .  He  was none other  than L K Advani , former BJP president and Deputy Prime Minister .

The temple at Ayodhya today is the result of the Ram temple movement spearheaded by L K Advani. Without his drive this feat was not possible. In 1990, Advani started his rath yatra, it would be a mini- bus or mini – truck designed to look like a chariot. Advani would travel on it for 10,000 kilometres from Somnath to Ayodhya. This rath yatra – or chariot procession woukld begin on 25 September , travel trough ten states, and reach Ayodhya in time for the VHP ceremony on October 30, 1990 wrote, Vinay Sitapati in his engrossing book Jugalbandi- The BJP before Modi . Sitapati further writes, His Cavalcade surrounded by trishuls and saffron bands. . Advani set out to a tight schedule. In Gujarat , 600 villages were traversed and fifty meetings held in the space of few days. This composition had been arranged by Pramod Mahajan. Helping him for the Gujarat limb of his pilgrimage was the forty- year-old Narendra Modi.

In his riveting autobiography My Country , My Life , Advani has an apt chapter – The Ayodhya Movement – When India’s soul spoke. And He wrote some telling lines. As he wrote, I regard the Ayodhya movement as the most decisive transformational event of my political journey. As every student of India’s contemporary history will attest to, its impact on our society and polity – indeed, on our sense of national identity – has been tremendous. Destiny made me perform certain pivotal duty in this movement , in the form of the Ram Rath Yatra from Somnath To Ayodhya in 1990 . I performed the duty with conviction, sincerity and to the best of my abilities and , in doing so, discovered India anew while rediscovering myself. The Ayodhya mission for me was thus both a time for intense action and intense inner reflection .

Given his monumental role in the ram temple movement and which helped his party the BJP to rise like a phoenix  from 2 seats in 1984 to  what it is today , Advani had played stellar role . And he is rightly called as the BJP patriarch .

And it was indeed fitting  though late some would argue in conferring the Bharat Ratna to L K Advani  , it was anyway better late than never. And Prime Minister Narendra Modi  broke this big news on X as he wrote, 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.

In another post on X PM Modi wrote, 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.

At 96 Advani is giant in Indian politics and one who had respect across the  political spectrum. And it was heartening to see  several posts ox by political leaders congratulating him. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar  expressed happiness over the Centre’s decision to confer Bharat Ratna on BJP stalwart and former deputy prime minister L K Advani and said he has contributed significantly towards the development of the nation. Pawar said,  he and Advani subscribe to different political ideologies, but the BJP leader was a good parliamentarian and Union minister. Pawar later took to X and posted flashback picture with Advani , Vajpayee and Dr Manmohan Singh.

Pawar later took to X and posted flashback picture with Advani , Vajpayee and Dr Manmohan Singh. A picture which also presents an era where government and the opposition were rivals not enemies and there was camaraderie which is so badly missed in today’s vitriolic and toxic times.