New Delhi: Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a charismatic practitioner of consensual politics who found acceptability across the political spectrum, was on Wednesday picked for the country’s highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna, an award that was also bestowed on late freedom fighter and Hindu Mahasabha leader Madan Mohan Malviya.
The announcement of the decision taken by the Modi government came ahead of the birthday of Vajpayee, who turns 90, and the 153rd birth anniversary of Malviya on Thursday.
“The President has been pleased to award Bharat Ratna to Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya (posthumously) and to Atal Bihari Vajpayee,” a Rashtrapati Bhavan press communique said. (PTI)
