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President to confer Bharat Ratna on Atal Bihari Vajpayee today

by IBNS 27 Mar 2015, 08:57 am

Srinagar, Mar 27 (IBNS): Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, at his home on Friday.

President Pranab Mukherjee will visit him at his home to confer the highest civilian award.
 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Cabinet ministers and senior party leaders will also be present at Vajpayee's residence in Lutyens’ Delhi on the occasion.
 
"It is a great honour that for the country that Vajpayeeji will be conferred with the Bharat Ratna," Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said.
 
"It is a moment of pride and happiness that 'Bharat Ratna' will be conferred upon Shri Atalji  today. He is loved and admired by everyone," he stated, adding: "Atalji's name evokes a sense of respect and reverence in every heart."
 
Praising Vajpayee, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted: "Happy that Atal Ji  is being conferred Bharat Ratna today. A truly great statesman who richly deserves honour. I wish him well..."
 
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and MLA of Beerwah Omar Abdullah
on Friday congratulated Atal Behari Vajpayee as he will receive the Bharat Ratna.
 
In his tweet, he said, “My heartfelt congratulations to Vajpayee Sahib & his family on the day he receives the Bharat Ratna. It was an honour to serve under him”.
 
"It was an honour to serve under him as him MOS MEA. I had occasion to travel with him to 4-5 countries. Memories of those trips on Air India One I'll always cherish a lot," he added.
 
Vajpayee,90, thrice became the country's prime minister. The Bharaitya Janata Party has long demanded Bharat Ratna for him.