NEW DELHI: With former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s birthday round the corner, the clamour to confer him with the Bharat Ratna is growing. Some BJP MPs had demanded that the government declare the award for Vajpayee on his birthday on December 25, which the government has decided to celebrate as ‘Good Governance Day’.
Veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi said that no one deserves the Bharat Ratna more than Vajpayee. Similar views were expressed by BJP MP and actor Hema Malini. She said, “He has done so much great work, and we as party members feel very honoured.”
Shiv Sena leader Anant Geete said that his party too wanted the Bharat Ratna to be awarded to the former Prime Minister.