New Delhi: Behind the Centre’s choice to bestow the Bharat Ratna on former Prime Ministers PV Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh and outstanding scientist MS Swaminathan lies an apparently well-thought-out technique of the Modi authorities in an election 12 months.
Though Rao was a outstanding Congress chief who ushered in India’s financial liberalization in 1991, the drastic deterioration of his ties with the Gandhi household has typically been a problem taken up by the BJP and different events to sentence the nation’s oldest get together .
It’s a coup-like state of affairs within the Congress as Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself has typically mentioned that the Gandhi household has proven no respect to nationwide icons Sardar Patel, Subhas Chandra Bose and Pranab Mukherjee, amongst others.
Equally, Charan Singh was the primary non-Congress Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and extra importantly, a towering chief from the influential Jat neighborhood. Singh was compelled to resign as Prime Minister in August 1979 after simply 23 days in energy when the Congress withdrew assist from his authorities.
Swaminathan, the daddy of the Inexperienced Revolution in India, got here from Tamil Nadu, a state the place the BJP is more and more making an attempt to penetrate.
Quickly after the choice was introduced, Charan Singh’s grandson and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhary gave a thumbs as much as the Modi authorities with a one-liner in Hindi:‘Dil Jeet Liya’ (The center received)’
Hearts received! #BharatRatna https://t.co/Ns0CraJ7yI
— Jayant Singh (@jayantrld) February 9, 2024
Among the many RLD’s calls for for an alliance with the BJP-led Nationwide Democratic Alliance (NDA) was the nation’s highest civilian award to the previous Prime Minister, ThePrint has realized.
The Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) can be mentioned to have switched to the NDA camp after the Heart introduced Bharat Ratna to former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur.
“Charan Singh will not be solely an essential Jat chief in Uttar Pradesh, however his affect reaches far and vast. Jats even have a superb presence in Haryana and Rajasthan. Keep in mind, he was the primary non-Congress Chief Minister and fought in opposition to the Congress throughout an emergency,” a BJP functionary informed ThePrint.
He then talked about how the sexual harassment of girls wrestlers and the farm agitation have hit the BJP’s shares among the many Jats, particularly in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
“The award of the Bharat Ratna to Charan Singh is an award for the farming neighborhood… It has immense political significance. He’s an icon amongst a bit in North India that led the struggle in opposition to the Congress.”
“At a time when there’s bickering among the many allies of the INDIA bloc, the BJP has balanced social justice politics with the emotions of individuals within the farming neighborhood (by honoring Thakur and Charan Singh). Each the leaders fought in opposition to the Congress,” the BJP functionary added.
Additionally learn: What’s behind PM Modi’s sudden announcement of Bharat Ratna for LK Advani?
South journey within the election 12 months
As for Rao, the Congress veteran was chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh from 1962 to 1973. His birthplace is now close to Karimnagar in Telangana, a state the place the Congress got here to energy in December final 12 months.
The BJP can be seeking to increase its base in Telangana, the place the Congress is now reviving, aside from exploiting the episode the place the get together management allegedly organized for Rao’s final rites to be held in Hyderabad.
Rao’s grandson NV Subhash Rao praised Prime Minister Modi for conferring the Bharat Ratna on the previous Prime Minister.
“PM Modi has awarded PV Narasimha Rao although he belongs to the Congress get together. Now I blame the UPA authorities, particularly the Gandhi household, for not awarding him any award when the UPA dominated from 2004 to 2014,” Subhash Rao informed the media.
“The Gandhi household performed a serious position in making Narasimha Rao a scapegoat for the failures of the Congress Social gathering… It’s a delight, an honor for us that at this juncture, at this significant juncture when Narendra Modi has grow to be the nationwide chief and because the chief of the entire world, he has frequently acknowledged (leaders). I additionally thank the BJP Telangana for making this an important success and making the dream come true…,” he added.
Prime Minister Modi himself tweeted about Rao and talked about his position as Prime Minister and Prime Minister.
I’m glad to announce that our former Prime Minister Shri PV Narasimha Rao Garu might be honored with the Bharat Ratna.
An eminent scholar and statesman, Narasimha Rao Garu served India extensively in varied capacities. He’s remembered as a lot for the work he did as… pic.twitter.com/lihdk2BzDU
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 9, 2024
Equally, he praised the contributions of Charan Singh and Swaminathan to the progress of the nation.
In the meantime, the BJP would ship a message not solely to the farming neighborhood but in addition to the state of Tamil Nadu, the place the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) emerged from the NDA fold in September.
“Swaminathan’s inexperienced revolution has benefited agriculture from Punjab to Tamil Nadu. Likewise, Rao rose to grow to be Prime Minister of South India. The get together has given energy to these icons who weren’t acknowledged by the Congress throughout their time,” mentioned one other BJP chief.
Social observers claimed that the BJP has struck a pleasant steadiness with the newest Bharat Ratna bulletins.
“By selecting the social justice (Thakur) and Hindutva (LKAdvani) constituency, the BJP balanced Hindutva with social justice politics. It has now tried to steadiness the farming neighborhood by awarding the award to Charan Singh and Swaminathan. The BJP has balanced the North, the South, Hindutva and social justice politics in a single fell swoop,” mentioned social scientist Prof. Badri Narayan. informed ThePrint.
“Appropriating Rao is a brilliant technique to achieve a foothold in South India, particularly in Telangana, the place Congress has created the federal government. It’s a recognized undeniable fact that the Congress first household has not maintained a cordial relationship with Rao,” mentioned one other social scientist, Prof. Nadeem. Rizvi informed ThePrint.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
Additionally learn: Why Bharat Ratna is essential to BJP’s ‘Karpoori-kamandal’ ploy to defeat Nitish and INDIA in LS polls
