A Tarnished Jewel? Bharat Ratnas and the Shadow of Electoral Expediency

The five Bharat Ratnas aim to fuse together the forces of Mandir, Mandal, and the Market.

India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, has traditionally been a symbol of exceptional achievement and selfless service to the nation.

But the sudden conferment of five Bharat Ratnas over the past fortnight has dimmed its lustre as political circles across the country are abuzz with a theory that it has been done to bolster political support and electoral alliances for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

A couple of caveats may be put in place before proceeding further.

The analysis here is not to question the merits/demerits of the individual awardees. Instead, the aim is merely to point out why the choice of the awardees and the timing of the announcements raise doubts about the government's motives.