CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi and several leaders paid tributes to former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee on his birth centenary on Thursday.
BJP chief Nainar Nagenthran on Thursday said the former prime minister firmly protected national unity and democratic values without losing balance and compassion even in difficult moments.
Paying rich tributes to the BJP stalwart on his birth centenary, Nagenthran also said under his leadership the Indian politics reached new heights. Vajpayee proved through his actions that respect for governance, integrity in public life, and national interest should be the centre of politics, he added.
“He was a leader who, without losing balance and compassion even in difficult moments, firmly protected national unity and democratic values,” the BJP state president said in a post on the social media platform ‘X.’
“Today is the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee. His political style, which combined dignity and humanity, is a rare quality that makes even his opponents respect him,” he said.
Vajpayee’s vision that politics should be for the future of the nation, not for personal gain, has inspired generations. The mark he left in Indian politics was something that time cannot erase, he added.
Hailing Vajpayee as the architect of the new India, convener of TN BJP coordination committee H Raja said the former Prime Minister was instrumental for the Golden Triangle road project from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, and had implemented the Antyodaya Anna Yojana, a scheme to feed the poor across the country to see India free from hunger and starvation.
“He announced the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, with the aim of providing free education to all the poor and established schools across the country. He established the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Scheme in every village and connected the country with roads,” Raja said in a post recalling the achievements of the former Prime Minister.
Stating that Vajpayee's leadership was marked by moral clarity, strategic foresight and unwavering commitment to democratic values, Governor R N Ravi said the former PM was a visionary leader, distinguished parliamentarian, eloquent orator and poet.
"He strengthened India’s democratic ethos while fostering national unity through dialogue and consensus," he said in a statement.
At a defining moment in India’s history, his stewardship enabled the nation to emerge as a nuclear-capable power, providing long-term strategic assurance and reinforcing national security.
"His legacy continues to inspire our collective journey toward a secure, confident and Atmanirbhar Bharat," the Governor said.
BJP chief spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy said in a post that Vajpayee's enduring schemes uplifted ordinary citizens and they were continued under successive governments. He listed out the numerous initiatives, including health initiatives, power sector reforms, the Pokhran-II (1998) testing and the victory in the Kargil War.