Jagan expresses delight at conferring Bharat Ratna on PV, Charan Singh and Swaminathan

Vijayawada: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has expressed his delight at former prime ministers P.V. Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh being conferred with the highest civilian award in the country, Bharat Ratna.

As Bharat Ratna is to be conferred on Narasimha Rao posthumously, Jagan Mohan Reddy said it was an honour to all Telugu-speaking people. He described PV as a statesman and scholar who upheld high political and moral values. “Rao deserved for getting such an award and its presentation merited an all-round applause,” the CM said.

Jagan Mohan Reddy said that conferring Bharat Ratna on former premier Charan Singh, who championed the farmers’ cause, and on agriculture scientist M.S. Swaminathan, the father of green revolution, was also a matter of pride to the entire nation.

Telugu Desam president Nara Chandrababu Naidu said, ‘I am delighted that Bharat Ratna has been posthumously bestowed on Dr M.S. Swaminathan and Choudhary Charan Singh. This award is a tribute to their significant contributions to India’s development, welfare and agriculture.”

“Dr Swaminathan played a pivotal roe in turning India from a food-deficient country into a self-reliant one. Choudhary Charan Singh, fondly remembered as a ‘champion of farmers’, relentlessly struggled for farmers’ prosperity,” Naidu recalled.

Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan said former prime minister late P.V. Narasimha Rao, by taking up economic liberalisation, helped India grow. Pawan Kalyan also referred to PV’s services as the CM of AP and as PM of India and said that the Centre’s move to confer Bharat Ratna on him was a happy occasion for all Telugu people.

On Choudhary Charan Singh, Pawan Kalyan noted that he was instrumental in bringing about land reforms. He appreciated the role of Swaminathan in helping India achieve self-sufficiency in food production and in developing new paddy varieties.

AP BJP president Daggubati Purandeswari said, “Grateful to the Government of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for honouring three remarkable individuals -- Chaudhari Charan Singh, Swaminathan and Narasimha Rao with the prestigious Bharat Ratna award. Their exceptional contributions have truly made a lasting impact on the history of our beloved nation.”