With Tears in Eyes, Folded Hands, LK Advani Thanks Nation for Bharat Ratna

New Delhi: Family members of veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani expressed happiness and thanked PM Modi for honouring him with Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest honour.

Pratibha Advani, LK Advani’s daughter, was seen sitting with Advani at his residence in Delhi as she congratulated her father offering him a laddu.

LK Advani joined his hands and greeted the people.

“With utmost humility and gratitude, I accept the Bharat Ratna that has been conferred on me today,” he said in a statement. “This life is not mine. My life is for my nation,” he said. He gratefully remembered two persons with whom he had the honour of working closely – Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, awarded the Bharat Ratna earlier. Advani thanked President Droupadi Murmu and Modi for the honour.  “May our great country progress to the pinnacle of greatness and glory”, he said.

“The entire family is very happy that ‘Dada’ (LK Advani) has received the country’s highest honour. Today I miss my mother the most because her contribution to his life, be it personal or political life is huge. When I told Dada, he was very happy and said that he spent his entire life in the service of his country. He thanked PM Modi and the people of the country for honouring him with such a big award,” Pratibha Advani said.

“He is very overwhelmed. He is a man of few words. But he had tears in his eyes. He was very happy even at the time of Pran Pratishtha of Ram temple. This was such a dream of his life for which he struggled and worked for a long time. His personality is such that when someone praises him, tears come to his eyes,” she added.

Jayant Advani, the son of LK Advani said, “My family and I are extremely delighted with this new development. I would like to thank PM Narendra Modi for conferring this award on my father. My father’s contribution to public life has been immense and it is wonderful to note that at this stage in his life, his efforts are being recognised in this magnificent way.”