Great Socio-Political Leader & Ram Mandir’s ‘Charioteer’ Lal Krishna ji Advani to be Honored with BHARAT RATNA, Announced PM Modi
*Kumar Rakesh
Prime Minister of Bharat Narendra Bhai Modi announced on Saturday that Lal Krishna ji Advani, a Founder of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and former deputy prime minister, will be honored with the BHARAT RATNA Bharat’s highest civilian award.
PM Narendra Bhai Modi described Sri Advani ji as one of the most respected statesmen of our time, highlighting his significant contributions to Bharat’s development. He praised Advani Ji’s journey from grassroots worker to serving as Deputy Prime Minister.
“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. As he has been promoting & advocating “Cultural Nationalism” at all fronts of his life and politics, school to parliament.
PM Modi said on X social media platform that conferring 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. According to PM Modi ,he phoned Sri Advani ji to congratulate about announcement of BHARAT RATNA to him
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…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 3, 2024
Prime Minister Modi expressed his happiness in sharing the news that Advani, who is 96 years old, will receive this prestigious honor. PM Modi personally spoke to Advani, congratulating him on the achievement.
PM Modi also acknowledged Advani’s exemplary parliamentary interventions, which were always insightful and valuable.
He posted, “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.”
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… pic.twitter.com/Ya78qjJbPK
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 3, 2024
Lal Krishna ji Advani, born on November 8, 1927, is a Bhartiya politician who served as the 7th Deputy Prime Minister of India from 2002 to 2004. He is one of the co-founders of the BJP and a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist volunteer organization. Advani held the position of Union Minister of Home Affairs from 1998 to 2004 and served as the longest-serving “Leader of the Opposition” also in the Lok Sabha. He was also the Prime Ministerial candidate for the BJP in the 2009 general election.
Advani’s political career began when he joined the RSS at the age of fourteen. He played various roles within the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, including in charge of parliamentary affairs, general secretary, and president of the Delhi unit. He became a member of the Rajya Sabha in 1970 and served four terms until 1989. Advani was instrumental in the formation of the BJP in 1980 and served as its president three times. He was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1989 and served seven terms. He held the position of Minister of Home Affairs from 1998 to 2004 and Deputy Prime Minister from 2002 to 2004. Advani played a significant role in the rise of the BJP as a major political party. Advani has also written many articles and books namely- My Country, My Life; Nazarband Loktantra; A Prisoner’s Scrap-Book: L.K. Advani’s Reflections Behind Bars; My Take; AS I SEE IT; Naa Desam Naa Jeevitham; Nanna Desha Nanna Jeevana; En Desam; The People Betrayed; New Approaches to Security and Development.
He had also worked in RSS journal Organised as Columnist when great RSS leader and Former Lt Governor of Puducherry Dr KR Malkani was Editor. I have many reminiscences about Advani ji & Dr Malkani too. Adavani used to write on film as he is so fond of good films of Bhartiya Cinema.
In recognition of his contributions, Advani was awarded the “Padma Vibhushan” Bharat’s second-highest civilian honor, in 2015. Now, in 2024, he will be conferred with the BHARAT RATNA Bharat’s highest civilian honor, by the Narendra Modi government.
Advani’s political journey has seen him evolve from a young leader to a prominent figure in Hindutva politics. He became the face of the Ram Mandir movement when the BJP won 80 seats in 1989. His Rath Yatra “Somnath to Ayodhya” in 1990 further popularized Hindutva politics in Bharat. That time young BJP leader Narendra Modi was with Advani ji in all routes of the great Rath Yatra.
According to PM Modi, that time he had taken Sankalp (promise)to make permanent Ram Janam Bhoomi Temple at Ayodhya .as he did it on 22nd Jan 2024.It is great live example of “SANKAlP se SIDDHI tak” (promise to fulfilment) as per real culture of our real Bharat.
After Great leader Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the honor of Bharat Ratna to Advani will also create a new history of BJP as well as New Bharat.
The purpose of the Rath Yatra was to mobilize Hindu nationalist sentiments, a goal that Advani successfully achieved. On December 6, 1992, thousands of Kar Sevaks demolished the Babri Mosque structure and Advani, along with Dr Murli Manohar Joshi. Uma Bharati, Sadhavi Ritambhara ’Didi Maa’ and many other leaders, were present at that historical moment.
Although Advani’s long-cherished dream of becoming Prime Minister was never fulfilled, his valuable contributions to the BJP and his efforts to highlight the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, on the birthplace of Lord Ram, will always be remembered.
The inauguration ceremony of Ram Mandir was conducted by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, on January 22, 2024, from 12:15 PM to 12:45 PM IST.
BJP veteran LK Advani expressed his emotions saying, the existence of a Ram Temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya was predetermined long before it actually happened. He referred to himself as the charioteer who led the controversial rath yatra that commenced in Gujarat’s Somnath on September 25, 1990, and culminated in the demolition of the Babri Mosque structure on December 6, 1992, with Mr. Advani present at the scene.
During that time (in September 1990, a few days after the yatra began), I believed that destiny had determined the construction of a magnificent Ram temple in Ayodhya… it was only a matter of time. And a few days after the rath yatra began, I realized that I was merely a charioteer. The primary message was the yatra itself… that was the revered chariot because it was heading towards Lord Ram’s birthplace…, Advani said.
So today’s date should be also added in the history of new Bharat with honor of the great Guru-Shishya tradition of our old historical Bharat.
This BHARAT RATNA should be also known as Real Guru Dakshina of a dedicated, devoted disciple like PM Modi for his Respected Guru Sri Lal Krishna ji Advani. This is a rare historical moment of New Bharat .
*Kumar Rakesh, Sr Journalist, Writer, Broadcaster has been actively involved in journalism and writing for approximately 35 years. He has worked in several esteemed media organizations in India and has been instrumental in creating 9 TV news channels in the country. Through his career, he has had the opportunity to travel to over 50 countries, reporting and writing on various topics. Kumar Rakesh has received numerous accolades and honors both in India and internationally for his contributions to the field. Currently, he serves as the editorial chairman of Global Governance News Group and Samagra Bharat Media Group. For any inquiries, please contact him at krakesh8@gmail.com.
