Congress questions timing of Bharat Ratna award to former PMs, Swaminathan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Friday that former PMs Chaudhary Charan Singh and PV Narasimha Rao will be conferred the Bharat Ratna and, along with them, MS Swaminathan, also known as the father of the green revolution, will also be awarded the country's highest civilian award.

In a line-up post on X, PM Modi said that, as a distinguished scholar and statesman, Narasimha Rao served India extensively in various capacities.

"Delighted to share that our former Prime Minister, PV Narasimha Rao Garu, will be honoured with the Bharat Ratna. As a distinguished scholar and statesman, Narasimha Rao Garu served India extensively in various capacities. He is equally remembered for the work he did as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Union Minister, and as a Member of Parliament and Legislative Assembly for many years. His visionary leadership was instrumental in making India economically advanced, laying a solid foundation for the country's prosperity and growth," the PM said.

"Narasimha Rao Garu's tenure as Prime Minister was marked by significant measures that opened India to global markets, fostering a new era of economic development. Furthermore, his contributions to India's foreign policy, language and education sectors underscore his multifaceted legacy as a leader who not only steered India through critical transformations but also enriched its cultural and intellectual heritage," he added.

Taking to the social media platform, PM Modi said this honour is dedicated to the former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh's incomparable contribution to the country.

"It is the good fortune of our government that former Prime Minister of the country Chaudhary Charan Singh is being honoured with Bharat Ratna. This honour is dedicated to his incomparable contribution to the country. He had dedicated his entire life to the rights and welfare of farmers. Be it as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh or the Home Minister of the country, even as an MLA, he always gave impetus to nation-building. He also stood firm against the Emergency. His dedication to our farmer brothers and sisters and his commitment to democracy during the Emergency are inspiring to the entire nation," PM posted on X.

Swaminathan, a prominent figure in Indian agriculture famed for his leading role in India's 'Green Revolution', will be conferred the honour posthumously, the Prime Minister said.

Taking to 'X', PM Modi said that Swaminathan's visionary leadership has not only transformed Indian agriculture but also ensured the nation's food security and prosperity.

"It is a matter of immense joy that the Government of India is conferring the Bharat Ratna on Dr MS Swaminathan in recognition of his monumental contributions to our nation's agriculture and farmers' welfare. He played a pivotal role in helping India achieve self-reliance in agriculture during challenging times and made outstanding efforts towards modernising Indian agriculture. We also recognise his invaluable work as an innovator and mentor, encouraging learning and research among several students. Dr. Swaminathan's visionary leadership has not only transformed Indian agriculture but has also ensured the nation's food security and prosperity. He was someone I knew closely, and l always valued his insights and inputs," the Prime Minister said in a post on 'X'.

Several leaders across the country extended greetings upon the grand announcement.

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said that he is honoured to inform the Rajya Sabha that Chaudhary Charan Singh, who has been a symbol of honesty and worked for the welfare of farmers, has been awarded the Bharat Ratna.

"Chaudhary Charan Singh has been a symbol of honesty and has been dedicated to the farmers. Honorable Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar expressed happiness in the Rajya Sabha on the decision to honor Chaudhary Charan Singh ji with Bharat Ratna," the Vice President's office said in a post 'X'.

Haryana Chief Minister and BJP leader Manohar Lal Khattar lauded the services of the former Prime Ministers Narasimha Rao and Choudhary Charan Singh and the agricultural scientist MS Swaminathan and said that all three made their contribution to the country, to society and to take it forward.

"I thank the PM, Central Government, and President. Be it the farmers of the country, agricultural scientists, or those who follow a democratic system in politics - I congratulate all of them. PV Narasimha Rao was one such PM who gave a respectable position to the then-LoP Atal Bihari Vajpayee and sent him to the UN. Former PM Chaudhary Charan Singh always fought for farmers and was their messiah. Similarly, agricultural scientist MS Swaminathan made agriculture beneficial for the farmers...So, all of them made their contribution to the country, to its society and to take it forward. I thank the PM once again," he said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath paid tribute to the three personalities and expressed happiness over this decision on his social media account, calling it 'praiseworthy'.

Welcoming the announcement of conferring the Bharat Ratna upon Chaudhary Charan Singh, the Chief Minister wrote on social media platform X, "The decision to confer the 'Bharat Ratna' upon former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, a mass leader and messiah of farmers, who dedicated his life for the uplift of villages, farmers, oppressed, and deprived, is commendable. He was a seeker of democracy in a true sense. This honour is a recognition of his unparalleled contributions to nation-building."

Addressing the media, the Chief Minister expressed that conferring the Bharat Ratna upon the 'farmer's messiah', Chaudhary Charan Singh, is an honour for crores of farmers of the country.

"This recognition holds particular significance for Uttar Pradesh, given Chaudhary Sahab's tenure as Chief Minister, during which the state witnessed significant progress and transformation," he said.CM Yogi further wrote about the announcement of Bharat Ratna for former PM P.V. Narasimha Rao on X; he stated that "the decision to honour former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao with 'Bharat Ratna' is highly commendable. His visionary leadership played a pivotal role in driving the country's economic development forward. His contributions to India's progress will always be remembered."

While speaking to the media, CM Yogi highlighted how PV Narasimha Rao steered the country through challenging times and implemented crucial economic reforms during his tenure.

Furthermore, the Chief Minister welcomed the announcement of conferring the Bharat Ratna upon the esteemed agricultural scientist and pioneer of the Green Revolution, Dr. MS Swaminathan, stating, "The decision to honour the eminent agricultural scientist and father of the Green Revolution, Dr. MS Swaminathan, with the 'Bharat Ratna' is commendable. His remarkable contributions to agriculture and farmers' welfare are widely respected. This honour is a true tribute to his unparalleled contribution in transforming agriculture."

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Friday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for conferring Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian honour, to three personalities.

"I would like to thank the Prime Minister under whose leadership Bharat Ratna will be conferred to Chaudhary Charan Singh, who bravely opposed the emergency and fought for farmers...PM Modi showed generosity and awarded Bharat Ratna to the Janata Dal leader too. It is PM Modi's vision...PV Narasimha Rao's life was dedicated to the Congress. He also opened new doors to development for the Government of India. His grandson has tweeted that Congress forgot about his contribution. I would like to thank PM Modi for remembering NaraSimha Rao," CM Yadav said.

After the announcement of Bharat Ratna to his grandfather and former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, indicating an alliance with the BJP for the Lok Sabha polls.

There have been speculations about Jayant Chaudhary jumping ship to the BJP, giving a jolt to the INDIA bloc.

Meanwhile, Congress leader and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram said that it is of no consequence to him that the recognition has come on the 'eve of general elections'.

While Chidambaram welcomed the decision of the central government, he also said, "Happy that secular, socialist leaders have been awarded Bharat Ratna It is gratifying that the BJP is discovering the contribution of the three eminent men. It is of no consequence to me that the recognition has come on the eve of general elections. Homage to the memory of the three Bharat Ratna Awardees."

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that the contributions of former Prime Ministers PV Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh, as well as agricultural scientist MS Swaminathan, were unprecedented, but the Modi government is maintaining silence on the legal status of providing minimum support prices to farmers based on the Swaminathan formula.

He further said that "Providing farmers with a legal guarantee of a minimum support price based on the Swaminathan formula will be a true tribute to former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh ji and Swaminathan ji".

In a post on X, Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh said that due to the stubbornness of Prime Minister Modi, 700 farmers were martyred during the movement, but the government broke its promise to the farmers.

"PV Narasimha Rao, Chaudhary Charan Singh, and MS Swaminathan were, are, and will always be the gems of India. Their contribution was unprecedented, which every Indian respects. The Modi government is silent on giving the legal status of minimum support price to farmers based on the Swaminathan formula. Due to the stubbornness of Prime Minister Modi, 700 farmers were martyred during the movement, but the government broke its promise to the farmers. Even today, the farmers are ready to march to Delhi, but the government is not listening," he said.

"Providing justice to farmers is one of the main objectives of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. Our demand for 'Kisan Nyay' is that farmers should be given a legal guarantee of a minimum support price based on the Swaminathan formula. This will be a true tribute to former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh ji and Swaminathan ji," he added.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Dola Sen questioned why these personalities are being honoured after 10 years.

"It is a good thing that they are giving senior personalities Bharat Ratna posthumously. But why did they remember them after 10 years? This question will arise," Sen said while speaking to ANI on Friday.

On Friday, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray demanded Bharat Ratna for the founder of Shiv Sena Bal Thackeray who passed away in 2012.

Born on June 28, 1921, in Karimnagar, Telangana, being an agriculturist and an advocate, Narasimha Rao joined politics and held some important portfolios. He was the Minister of Law and Information, 1962-64; Law and Endowments, 1964-67; Health and Medicine, 1967 and Education, 1968-71, Government of Andhra Pradesh. He was the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh from 1971-73 and General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee from 1975-76.

Chaudhary Charan Singh was born in 1902 at Noorpur in Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh, in a middle class peasant family. He graduated in science in 1923 and did his post-graduation at Agra University in 1925. Also trained in law, he set up practice in Ghaziabad. He shifted to Meerut in 1929 and later joined the Congress. He was first elected to the UP Legislative Assembly in 1937 from Chhaprauli, and represented the constituency in 1946, 1952, 1962 and 1967. He became Parliamentary Secretary in Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant's Government in 1946 and worked in various departments such as Revenue, Medical and Public Health, Justice, Information etc.

In June 1951, he was appointed Cabinet Minister in the State and given charge of the Departments of Justice and Information. Later, he took over as the Minister for Revenue and Agriculture in the Cabinet of Sampurnanand in 1952. When he resigned in April 1959, he was holding charge of the Department of Revenue and Transport.

Trained as a plant geneticist, Swaminathan's significant contributions to India's agricultural sector have earned him a reputation as the scientific leader of India's green revolution movement. His work has been instrumental in the agricultural renaissance of India.

This prestigious award recognises his pivotal role in achieving self-reliance in agriculture and modernising it during challenging times.

Since assuming office in 2014, the Modi government has announced Bharat Ratna for Lal Krishna Advani, Karpoori Thakur, Madan Mohan Malviya, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Pranab Mukherjee, Bhupen Hazarika, and Nanaji Deshmukh.