Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, 24 December, released a Rs 100 commemorative coin in the memory of former premier Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s 94th birth anniversary.
In the event that took place in Delhi, Vajpayee's long-time associate and BJP veteran LK Advani, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and BJP president Amit Shah were also present.
The former prime minister had died at the AIIMS in the national capital in August this year at the age of 93 following prolonged illness.
Addressing the gathering, Modi said he would go to Vajpayee's memorial on Tuesday, 25 December, to reiterate his commitment to the ideology and path shown by the statesman.
Vajpayee Never Compromised on the Ideology of the Party: PM Modi
“Atal Ji wanted democracy to be supreme. He built the Jana Sangh. But, when the time came to rescue our democracy he and others went to Janata Party. Likewise, when the choice was between remaining in power or comprising on ideology, he left Janata Party and formed the BJP.”Narendra Modi, Indian Prime Minister
He also said that while for some, power is oxygen and they cannot live without it, Vajpayee spent a long part of his career in the Opposition benches raising issues of national interest.
PM Modi also stated that the late prime minister never compromised on the ideology of the party.
“The party, which “Atalji built brick by brick” has become among the largest political parties,” Modi said.
Modi said Vajpayee as a speaker was unparalleled, "When he spoke, the nation spoke... when he spoke the nation listened.”
The mind is not ready to believe that Vajpayee is no longer alive. Though he was away from public glare for nearly a decade due to ill health, the way people gave him a farewell on his demise showed the mark he had created in people’s minds,PM Narendra Modi
(With inputs from PTI)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)