New Delhi, Dec 25: President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah along with other leaders paid tributes to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on his birth anniversary on Saturday.
Kovind along with Modi and all senior leaders gathered at ‘Sadaiv Atal’ stall and paid floral tributes to the late leader.”We are inspired by his rich service to the nation. He devoted his life towards making India strong and developed. His development initiatives positively impacted millions of Indians,” the prime minister tweeted.
Singh bowed before the party stalwart on his jayanti. “He was a great nationalist who distinguished himself as an eminent orator, wonderful poet, able administrator and a remarkable reformist,” the Defence Minister who once served in the Vajpayee cabinet tweeted, and also said: “Atalji’s tremendous contribution to India’s public life will never be forgotten”.Shah said the late leader had given a new direction to Indian politics “by realizing the vision of Antyodaya and good governance in the country with his unshakable principles and amazing devotion”.
He called him “a unique patriot”.The Lok Sabha Speaker said: “He used to take the whole of India along. The story of his thought and struggle of life is an inspiration for future generations.”BJP national president JP Nadda remembered Vajpayee as “guide of all of us, who dedicated his entire life in the service of Mother India”. Paying homage to the late parry leader at his samadhi sthal, Nadda said: “His contribution in nation-building will always be remembered.”Vajpayee was born on December 25, 1924.
In the 1990s.The BJP stalwart who breathed his last on August 16, 2018, served thrice as prime minister.His first term lasted 13 days in 1996, the next was for 13 months from 1998 to 1999, followed by a full term from 1999 to 2004.Vajpayee, one of the co-founders of the Bharatiya Janata Party, was also a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. He was the first non-Congress PM to serve a full term in office. A noted poet and a writer, he is often quoted in Parliament and outside and still enjoys major following across party lines.UNI
