New Delhi, March 30 (Agency) President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday conferred Bharat Ratna upon veteran BJP leader LK Advani at his residence in Delhi. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu were present on this occasion.In a series of social posts on X, Rashtrapati Bhavan, said, “ As a parliamentarian, his emphasis on dialogue enriched parliamentary traditions. Whether as Home Minister or as Deputy Prime Minister, he always prioritised national interest above all, earning him respect and admiration from across party lines”. “His long and tireless struggle for India’s cultural regeneration culminated in the reconstruction of Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya in 2024”, it said. “With his vision of cultural nationalism, he toiled hard for decades, across the length and breadth of the country, and brought about a transformation in the socio-political landscape.
When the Emergency put India’s democracy at risk, the indefatigable crusader in him helped guard it against authoritarian tendencies”, Rashtrapati Bhavan wrote.Born in Karachi in 1927, Advani migrated to India in 1947 during Partition.The 96-year-old BJP stalwart had served as Deputy Prime Minister from June 2002 to May 2004 and as Union Home Minister from March 1998 to May 2004. He was BJP president multiple times from 1986 to 1991, 1993 to 1998, and 2004 to 2005. Meanwhile, in a post on X, Modi said ‘It was very special to witness the conferring of the Bharat Ratna upon Shri LK Advani Ji. This honour is a recognition of his enduring contributions to our nation’s progress. His dedication to public service and his pivotal role in shaping modern India have left an indelible mark on our history. I am proud to have got the opportunity to work with him very closely over the last several decades’.