- Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Lal Krishna Advani turns 100 on Sunday (Nov. 8). In various periods of modern Indian history, only a very few personalities have made such a profound impact.
Advani was born on November 8, 1927, on the auspicious occasion of Dev Deepawali. In 1947, at a young age, he experienced the pain of having to leave behind the place and environment he was familiar with in Sindh. However, without any bitterness, he rebuilt his life from scratch.
This trait of facing any challenge and building something from the ground up has been evident throughout his life. It was evident when he strengthened the Jana Sangh, and later when he created and nurtured the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Advani is always distinguished as a unique leader by two qualities. First, his clarity of principles and sharp intellect. These qualities were evident in his speeches and writings.
Second, the way he exposed the false secularism that had been promoted for years by the majority sections of the Indian political arena.
Advani carried out every responsibility entrusted to him with great dedication and care. He began his work as an RSS volunteer and first served in various parts of Rajasthan. From there, he moved to the national capital, Delhi, where he began working closely with Vajpayee. Together, the two transformed the course of Indian politics.
Advani’s parliamentary journey began in 1970. The speeches he delivered in Parliament and the views he put forward earned the appreciation of members from all parties. As a Member of Parliament, and later as Leader of the Opposition in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, as well as a ruling party member, he left a distinctive mark.
The Emergency period was a major turning point in Advani’s life. He took the lead in defending democracy and protecting the Constitution. The experiences he gained during the Emergency were included in his book, Prisoner’s Notebook.
While Advani was a prominent opposition leader, he was also an excellent administrator. When the Janata government came to power in 1977, Advani took charge as the Minister of Information and Broadcasting. His work in this department had a significant impact.
As Deputy Prime Minister and one of those who served as Home Minister for a long period, he played a key role in strengthening the country’s security framework. As a result of his firm stance against terrorism, a stringent anti-terrorism law was introduced in India.
One of the historic events in Advani’s life was the Rath Yatra from the Somnath temple to Ayodhya. It brought about a positive change in the course of Indian society. After many years, with the blessings of the Indian people, a grand temple for Bhagwan Shri Ram was built in Ayodhya.
In recognition of Advani ji, in 2024, on behalf of the people of India, he was conferred the nation’s highest award, the Bharat Ratna. As Advani ji steps into his hundredth year, I pray that God blesses him with good health, a long life, and that he continues to inspire all of us, as always.
