Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said the list of Bharat Ratna awardees showed Modi government's commitment towards farmers, downtrodden and backward people.
President Draupadi Murmu conferred 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 posthumously at a ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Saturday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah and others were the attendees at the event.
In a series of posts on 'X' in both Hindi and English, Shah said honoring the four leading figures of the country with the India's highest civilian award showed the Narendra Modi government's commitment towards farmers, downtrodden and backward people of the country.
"It is a landmark day as the visionary statesman PV Narasimha Rao Garu has been honored with the Bharat Ratna today by Rashtrapati Smt Draupadi Murmu," he said.
Shah praised Rao’s contribution to the nation during a critical juncture with his bold reforms, laying the foundation of a modern, liberalized economy.
"Envisioning social justice, Rao also paved the way for the upliftment of marginalized groups. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to PM @narendramodi for the decision to honor the legendary leader with the highest civilian award," he said.
Commenting on the conferment of award, the home minister said the president has honored the great freedom fighter, former prime minister and farmer leader Chaudhary Charan Singh with Bharat Ratna, which is an honor 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 center of politics of an agriculture-based nation.
"I express my gratitude to Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi for realizing 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 Draupadi 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, Honorable President Smt. Draupadi Murmu has honored the struggle for the rights of backward and extremely backward people by honoring 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 honor from Murmu.
Swaminathan's daughter Nitya Rao and Thakur's son Ram Nath Thakur received the award from the president.
