New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Friday announced that he has conferred the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honour of India, to three eminent personalities: former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao, former PM Chaudhary Charan Singh, and the father of the Green Revolution M.S. Swaminathan. The decision has triggered political interpretations, as all three names have been long demanded for the prestigious award. One of them is from North India, while the other two are from South India. Recently, Modi had also awarded the Bharat Ratna to L.K. Advani, a veteran BJP leader and a key figure in the Ram Mandir movement.
Bharat Ratna For Congress’s Narasimha Rao
PM Modi has decided to award Bharat Ratna to former PM Narasimha Rao. He was a towering leader of the Congress party and the father of economic reforms in India. The BJP leaders often criticized that Congress did not treat him well. It is also interesting that a few days ago, when the announcement was made to give the Bharat Ratna to Lal Krishna Advani, the biggest leader of the Ram Mandir movement and the founding member of the BJP, some people questioned the fact that it is their own government and they are honoring their own people, then what is the difference between Congress and BJP?
Now, giving the country’s highest civilian award to a leader associated with the opposition party, Congress, can only be called Modi government’s masterstroke. This will send a message to the public and BJP will try to convey that Modi government does not do politics on awards but treats everyone equally. The announcement of the Lok Sabha elections is going to happen soon.
In such a situation, the impact of this decision is certain. Rao was born in Warangal district of Telangana, which was then part of united Andhra Pradesh. He led the country at a time when India was stuck in the quagmire of poverty and unemployment. The situation of the country had become such that the country’s gold had to be mortgaged to repay the debt. The economy was paralyzed in the 1991 era.
Rao’s Congress government brought economic reforms in the country. The country progressed on the path of progress by following the same economic policies. He also took India forward in the automobile sector. The way was cleared for many big companies to set up plants. The result was that in the next 2-3 years, the foreign exchange reserves increased by 15 times.
Congress has always insisted that Rao laid the foundation for strengthening India’s economy in 1991. However, the Bharat Ratna is now being given by the BJP government. Telangana’s demand also fulfilled The Telangana Assembly had passed a resolution in December 2020 to give Rao the Bharat Ratna. He was also the chief minister of Andhra.
In such a situation, by honoring Rao from the BJP government, the politics of both the southern states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh can go in favor of the BJP. It is also possible that the BJP’s Mission-400 goal may be strengthened by the major party of the state joining the NDA.
The connection between the three awardees lies in their contributions to the nation. The most surprising name is that of Narasimha Rao, a Congress leader who has often been accused by BJP leaders of being neglected by his own party. Rao was the Prime Minister of India during a critical period when the country was mired in poverty and unemployment.
He had to mortgage the country’s gold to repay debts, and the economy was in a state of paralysis. Rao’s Congress government initiated economic reforms that paved the way for India’s progress. He also boosted India’s automobile sector by allowing foreign companies to set up plants.
As a result, the foreign exchange reserves increased by 15 times in the next 2-3 years. Congress has always claimed that Rao laid the foundation for strengthening India’s economy. However, it is the BJP government that is giving him the Bharat Ratna now.
Some critics had objected to Modi’s decision to award the Bharat Ratna to Advani, saying that it was a case of favouring his own party and allies. Now, by honouring a Congress leader, Modi has delivered a masterstroke. He has sent a message to the public and the BJP that his government does not politicise awards, but treats everyone equally. With the Lok Sabha elections approaching soon, this decision could have an impact on the voters.
The other two awardees are also well-deserved. Chaudhary Charan Singh was the fifth Prime Minister of India and a prominent leader of the farmers. He is widely respected for his pro-farmer policies and his role in the land reforms. He is also the founder of the Lok Dal party, which later merged with other parties to form the Janata Dal. His son, Ajit Singh, is the chief of the Rashtriya Lok Dal, a regional party in Uttar Pradesh that has allied with the BJP in the past.
M.S. Swaminathan is a renowned agricultural scientist and a Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan awardee. He is credited with leading the Green Revolution in India, which transformed the country from a food-deficit to a food-surplus nation.
He has also made significant contributions to the fields of biodiversity, biotechnology, and sustainable development. He is the founder of the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, which works for the welfare of farmers and rural communities.
Modi’s decision to award the Bharat Ratna to these three personalities has also fulfilled the demands of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, two southern states where the BJP is trying to expand its base. The Telangana Assembly had passed a resolution in December 2020, requesting the Centre to confer the Bharat Ratna to Rao, who was born in Warangal district of the then united Andhra Pradesh.
He was also the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. By honouring Rao, the BJP government could win the favour of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and strengthen its ally, the NDA, in the mission to achieve 400 seats in the Lok Sabha.
Modi’s Masterstroke For West UP
The BJP had a reason to worry about West UP, especially the Jat-dominated areas, due to the farmers’ protest and other factors. But that concern may have been largely resolved by the announcement of awarding the Bharat Ratna to former PM Chaudhary Charan Singh. He was a towering leader of the Jat community and the father of Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) founder Ajit Singh.
The RLD is now headed by his grandson Jayant Chaudhary. The decision to honor the grandfather came amid speculations that the grandson’s party RLD was leaving the opposition alliance and joining the BJP. It is likely that the deal was already sealed. The BJP may offer the RLD two seats in the Lok Sabha and one seat in the Rajya Sabha.
Jayant Chaudhary’s tweet today also hinted at this possibility. He wrote on social media after his grandfather Charan Singh got the Bharat Ratna – You won my heart. It is clear that this could have a similar impact as in Bihar.
PM Modi highlighted the point that would resonate with this decision while sharing the picture of Chaudhary Charan Singh today. He wrote that this honor is a tribute to his unmatched contribution to the nation. He dedicated his whole life to the rights and welfare of the farmers. He served as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, the home minister of the country, and a parliamentarian, and always propelled the nation-building process. He also stood firm against the Emergency.
His devotion to our farmer brothers and sisters and his commitment to democracy during the Emergency are inspiring for the entire nation. It is evident that with this decision, the Modi government will present itself as a government that gives priority to the farmers. Charan Singh was also the first non-Congress CM of UP after breaking away from the Congress. There was a long-standing demand to give him the Bharat Ratna. He is remembered as the ‘messiah of the farmers’. It is likely that the BJP will win the hearts of the entire Jatland.
Swaminathan: The Man Behind Green Revolution
He may be less known to today’s generation, but Dr. M.S. Swaminathan’s contribution to the agricultural sector is immense. He strengthened agricultural education and research. He believed that the improved varieties of crops would not only benefit the farmers but also solve the food crisis. He was born in Tamil Nadu. He witnessed the Bengal famine and decided to dedicate his life to the improvement of the country’s agricultural sector. He received a special recognition for the Green Revolution. This increased the crop production. In the 1960s and 70s, he introduced high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice. India became self-reliant in food production as a result. He passed away a few months ago.
Thus, the Modi government has given the Bharat Ratna to two legends associated with the agricultural sector. Chaudhary Charan Singh is a big name from the north, while Dr. Swaminathan is from the south. Another interesting thing is that there was a long-standing demand to give the Bharat Ratna to Swaminathan, the leader of the Green Revolution. Now, even without intending to, the parties of Tamil Nadu will have to appreciate the BJP government’s decision and it may also have an impact on the public.