P V Narasimha Rao

Amid speculations of the RLD joining BJP-led NDA ahead of the general elections, the regional party leader Jayant Singh on Saturday praised the Modi government for honouring his grandfather and former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh with Bharat Ratna. He said that only a government "rooted to ground realties" could have taken such a decision. As soon as Singh started thanking the government for the honour in Rajya Sabha, Congress members objected and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge wanted to know the rule under which the RLD leader was allowed to speak. Kharge said it is a matter of pride and he "salutes" former prime ministers P V Narasimha Rao and Charan Singh and agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan, all of whom are being conferred with Bharat Ratna. "There is no debate on honouring leaders with Bharat Ratna. I salute everyone. But if a member wants to raise an issue, you (chairman) ask 'under which rule'. (I want to know) under which rule he (Jayant Singh) has be

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

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Leaders cutting across party lines welcomed the announcement of Bharat Ratna for P V Narasimha Rao, Chaudhary Charan Singh and M S Swaminathan on Friday and said they deserved the honour. Asked about the announcement, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, "I see it positively. The truth is that they should have been honoured long ago but, for the first time, a government has thought about it." He said the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) always rises above party politics while taking such decisions. BJP leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also welcomed the announcement. "I thank the prime minister. The awards have been given to people who have contributed to the country's development," he said. Congress leader Rajeev Shukla, however, said the BJP-led Centre is honouring former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao, while it has also brought a "white paper" on the economy during the government of Manmohan Singh, who was the finance minister under Rao.

Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday said she "welcomes" the announcement of giving Bharat Ratna to former prime minister PV Narasimha Rao. Asked about the Bharat Ratna announcements, specifically for Rao, Sonia Gandhi in a short reply said, "I welcome them... why not". Former prime ministers P V Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh as well as agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan will be honoured with the Bharat Ratna, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Friday.

Rashtriya Lok Dal president Jayant Chaudhary on Friday said the Centre won his heart with the announcement of Bharat Ratna to former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh. "Dil Jeet Liya," he posted on X. Jayant Chaudhary is the grandson of Charan Singh, a famed farmers' champion. The matter also came up in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, where Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, Speaker Satish Mahana, and Parliamentary Affairs minister Suresh Khanna hailed the decision and lauded the farmers' leader. The RLD chief hailed the decision on X in a one-line comment in Devnagari. Former prime ministers P V Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh, as well as agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan will be honoured with the Bharat Ratna, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Friday. "Bharat Ratna to Charan Singh dedicated to his incomparable contribution to the country," he said. Charan Singh served as the fifth prime minister of India between July and August in 1979.

Political leaders congratulate and pay tribute to the winners of this year's Bharat Ratna awards - P V Narasimha Rao, Chaudhary Charan Singh, and M S Swaminathan. Here is what they had to say

Supreme Court must ensure that 1992 is not repeated

No political party has done anything about institutionalising the selection process of ECs, perhaps because each of them is seduced by the prospect of capturing the ECI when they come to power

The three governments of that decade - the Congress, the United Front, and the National Democratic Alliance - went along because whatever the RBI did had no impact on votes

Here are the best of Business Standard's opinion pieces for Saturday

India's record has been good, relative to how other countries have done and compared also to its own previous three decades, but well short of what is required and what was possible, writes T N Ninan

TRS on Sunday announced Surabhi Vani Devi, daughter of former PM P V Narasimha Rao, as it's candidate for the coming polls to the Telangana Legislative Council from the Graduates' constituency

Mukherjee had served as the President of India from 2012 to 2017, and held several important portfolios previously in various Congress-led governments from the 1970s to 2012

With a charge of Rs 18/min for voice calls to free voice calls now, and a burgeoning subscriber base, India's telecom sector has come a long way. We look at the men who made all of this possible

He claimed that 'Sonia Congress' deliberately tried to malign Rao who was the Prime Minister during 1991-1996

Vinay Sitapati had the advantage of having access to the personal papers of P V Narasimha Rao; these included the information or assessments on situations and personalities given to him by the Intelligence Bureau

In the column, "Don't praise Rao" (June 25), Mihir S Sharma says the 40 per cent increase in fertiliser prices was the centre-point of the Budget in 1991. The column gives the impression that the increase was completely rolled back. This is factually incorrect: the price was decreased to 30 per cent - itself a significant change. This was possible because of the initiative of then finance minister Manmohan Singh and the full backing of then prime minister P V Narasimha Rao.Ravi Vira Gupta via emailLetters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:The Editor, Business StandardNehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar MargNew Delhi 110 002Fax: (011) 23720201E-mail: letters@bsmail.inAll letters must have a postal address and telephone number