Hyderabad, Feb 09 (PTI) Former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao’s daughter and BRS MLC Vani Devi on Thursday appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for seeing beyond party lines in recognising the late Congress leader with the Bharat Ratna, and said that although the award has come “slightly” late, it’s ok because it is the highest civilian honour.
Narasimha Rao belongs to the whole nation, she said.
“Everyone is happy. He is not only a son of Telugu soil but he belongs to the whole nation,” she said.
Narasimha Rao, who became prime minister when the country was facing tough times, implemented reforms that were recognised by the whole world, she said. The prime minister from the Congress party had initiated reforms and found permanent solutions to problems in sectors as varied as economy and external affairs, she said.
Commending Prime Minister Modi’s gesture of awarding the Bharat Ratna to a stalwart of an opposition party, Vani Devi said “Beyond parties, recognising PV and conferring Bharat Ratna shows the good values, manners of our Prime Minister.”
She, however, pointed out that the award could have come sooner. “Though there is a slight delay, it’s ok. Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian honour. Telangana people are very happy over Bharat Ratna being conferred upon Narasimha Rao. The family members are overwhelmed. We are very excited,” she added.
The BRS MLC also lauded the previous government of her party led by former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, for having celebrated the birth centenary of Narasimha Rao on a grand scale.
Narasimha Rao was the first leader from the southern states to become Prime Minister, she recalled.
She said she was getting calls from Maharashtra and Odisha as he was elected as a Member of Parliament from those states. She was also getting calls from Delhi.
Narasimha Rao was elected to Lok Sabha from Ramtek in Maharashtra and Berhampore in Odisha and also from Nandyal and Hanumakonda in undivided Andhra Pradesh.
Vani Devi and other BRS MLCs as well as BRS MLAs paid floral tributes to a portrait of Narasimha Rao kept in the legislature buildings here.
BRS MLC K Kavitha and others felicitated Vani Devi on the legislative council premises following the announcement of the Bharat Ratna conferred on Narasimha Rao, a BRS release said.
