Home Minister Shah pays tributes to former PM Vajpayee on his birth anniversary

New Delhi, Dec 25 (PTI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah paid tributes to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his birth anniversary on Thursday, saying that he provided Indian politics with a political alternative that prioritised national interest and cultural nationalism.

In a message posted on 'X', Shah said the NDA government led by BJP founder and Bharat Ratna awardee Vajpayee presented the country with a governance model that advanced both heritage and science simultaneously.

The minister said, "With the founding of the BJP, Atal ji provided Indian politics with a political alternative that prioritised national interest and cultural nationalism.

"Whether it was making India a nuclear power or realising good governance, under his leadership, the NDA government presented the country with a governance model that advanced both heritage and science simultaneously," he said.

Shah said, "Atal ji is a powerful and unforgettable figure in Indian politics, known for his dedication to public service and organisational strength." Vajpayee was born on this day in Gwalior in 1924 and passed away in New Delhi on August 16, 2018. The government observes his birth anniversary as Good Governance Day.

Born in a humble Kanyakubja Brahman family in Gwalior, he remained a parliamentarian for more than five decades, having been elected ten times to the Lok Sabha and twice to the Rajya Sabha.

As India's 13th prime minister, he led the first non-Congress government for full five-year tenure from 1999-04. He also served as the prime minister for two more terms, lasting for 13 days and 13 months, during which he conducted nuclear tests and won the Kargil War.

The home minister also paid tributes to the founder of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and social reformer Bharat Ratna Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya on his birth anniversary.

In a post on 'X', Shah said considering education as the fundamental principle of social reform, Malaviya inspired the youth to pursue modern education based on Indian cultural values '‹'‹through the establishment of Banaras Hindu University.

"Mahamana also made a significant contribution to making the press a medium for nation-building. Mahamana's lifelong commitment to the eradication of untouchability and his pro-farmer initiatives will always be remembered," he said. PTI ABS MNK MNK