At 96, Advani scores a 'half-century' ..... Know, what's it ? Congress changed rules to honour Sachin Tendulkar

 "The President has been pleased to award Bharat Ratna to Shri Lal Krishna Advani," -- the Rashtrapati Bhawan announcement said.

Congressmen and Sickular ecosystem do often make noise about Narendra Modi not showing enough respect to Dr B R Ambedkar.

But it goes to the full credit of 'dynasty' that only in 1990 - that is under India's first multi-party government headed by VP Singh and supported by Left and the BJP; that B. R. Ambedkar and Nelson Mandela were given Bharat Ratna.

For long like everything else in the country, only one party and one family in that party  had the powerful sense of ENTITLEMENT -- it's our wish and wishes have to be fulfilled.

Bharat Ratna went to three from the family ...one after another. Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi - posthumously. There was also a joke when the highest civilian award was given to a sports star. 

The intent was 'headline' management !! This blogger may not be blamed ... search engine 'Quora.com' has a question... running

Is Sachin Tendulkar the least deserving Bharat Ratna award winner? 

In Nov 2006, he entered into deal with Canon after he reportedly had issues with another popular brand.  Sachin had partnered with Airtel for two years from 2004 to 2006.

Who recommended the highest civilian award for Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi? Let those in the Sickular bus answer that.

 Jawaharlal Nehru got it in 1955 when he was in office. Similarly, Bharat Ratna came to Indira Gandhi in 1971. Ting tong !! Democracy was well guarded ??

Even K. Kamaraj got it in 1976. He had served as the president of the Indian National Congress for two terms, - four years between 1964–1967.

He was responsible for the elevation of Lal Bahadur Shastri to the position of Prime Minister of India after Jawaharlal Nehru's death and perhaps more importantly for elevation of Indira Gandhi after Shastri's death.

Ting tong, or ping pong ! Moscow bong !!

Kamraj 

For Late Rajiv Gandhi, the announcement came immediately after his death before elections could took place. It was announced by Chandrashekhar government. Grapevine is - Chandrashekhar in 1991 was a 'leader' and had no party and of course after Sonia Gandhi declined to take over as suggested by family retainer Arjun Singh; the grand old party was 'Leaderless'. 

Chandrashekhar, once the Young Turk member of  the Congress, also was waiting in the wings -- could there be a marriage of convenience and compulsion.

Nevertheless, PM Narendra Modi and prior to him even Atal Bihari Vajpayee gave the honour to more deserving people. The system was democratised. 

Once tag 'Badmas -shri' vanished in the backyards of corridors of power in northeast and maybe in other parts of India also. 

Manmohan Singh was so much 'remote controlled' that he had Bharat Ratna rules changed to give it to a cricket star -- who normally demanded 'appearance fees'. The cricket star who once sought free land from Maharashra Chief Minister to open an academy and who changed being brand ambassador of one brand to another in 2005 just because the issue was 'money' !!

Also it is crucial to note that Sachin Tendulkar was given Bharat Ratna at a time when the Congress leadership wanted to 'manage' news prime time headlines. 

I do not remember exactly what was the issue of 'real debate' that particularevening -- could be more political...could be murder of an Indian soldier by Pakistanis along the border and also linked to Gujarat; but a well known 'chamcha-of-sickular' anchor 9 PM debate was 'Sachin Tendulkar' !!

But the same Manmohan Singh government could not give the honour to much more deserving Atal Bihari Vajpayee !!  

 

Meanwhile leaders applaud and compliment L K Advani for receiving Bharat Ratna. 

Home Minister Amit Shah said he has been dedicated to serving the country and its people selflessly through his life, adding that he tirelessly works for issues related to the nation, culture and people.

Words cannot describe his contribution to the party and its ideology, Shah said. 

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said Advani symbolised probity, dedication and strong resolve in politics.

In his long public life, the contribution he made in different capacities to the country's development and nation-building is unforgettable and inspiring, he said.

Those conferred with Bharat Ratna in the past include Jawaharlal Nehru, Rajendra Prasad, Zakir Hussain, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, K Kamraj, Mother Teresa, Vinoba Bhave, M G Ramachandran, B R Ambedkar, Nelson Mandela, Rajiv Gandhi, Vallabhbhai Patel, Morarji Desai, Satyajit Ray, A P J Abdul Kalam, Jayprakash Narayan, Amartya Sen, Sachin Tendulkar , Pranab Mukherjee, Nanaji Deshmukh, Karpoori Thakur and Lata Mangeshkar. 
Advani is 96 and scores half-century as he is the 50th esteemed Indian to receive the honour.  

In 2001, the Vajpayee government gave the honour to Bismillah Khan and Lata Mangeshkar. Bhimsen Joshi got it in 2008 during the UPA regime.

The Modi government gave the honour to Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Madan Mohan Malaviya (2015) and Nanaji Deshmukh, music maestro Bhupen Hazarika from Assam and also a die-hard Congressman Pranab Mukherjee in 2019.