NEW DELHI: Prime Minister
Narendra Modi
on Monday paid tributes to former prime minister
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
on his 99th birth anniversary, saying he worked to speed up the country's development all his life.
Modi, along with President Droupadi Murmu, her predecessor Ram Nath Kovind, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, and several ministers, including Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nirmala Sitharaman, Kiren Rijiju, Hardeep Singh Puri, and Arjun Ram Meghwal, paid tributes to the BJP stalwart at his memorial 'Sadaiv Atal' here.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister said, "A rich tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his birth anniversary on behalf of the people of the country. He remained engaged in accelerating nation building throughout his life. His dedication and service towards India will remain a source of inspiration even in his immortal age."
"I remember and pay homage to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji on his birth anniversary. Atal ji served the country and society selflessly and gave a new direction to nationalist politics in the country through the establishment of BJP. While on one hand he made the world realise the power of emerging India through nuclear testing and
Kargil war
, on the other hand, he implemented the vision of good governance in the country. The country will always remember his immense contribution," Shah said in a post on X.
Nadda posted on X, Nadda: "I pay my deepest respects to the pinnacle of Indian politics, our pathfinder, former Prime Minister, 'Bharat Ratna' Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji on his birth anniversary. His entire life dedicated to national upliftment and public service will always remain our inspiration," Nadda said.
A great orator, Vajpayee was the popular face of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and then the Bharatiya Janata Party. His acceptability beyond ideological boundaries was a key reason behind the BJP drawing support from many parties as he ran a successful coalition government from 1999 to 2004.
Born on December 25, 1924, in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, Vajpayee served as India's Prime Minister for three terms.
Recognizing his contributions, December 25 is also observed as Good Governance Day. At the age of 93, Vajpayee passed away on August 16, 2018. His health had been a matter of concern since a stroke in 2009 affected his speech and necessitated the use of a wheelchair.
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