New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday unveiled a life-size portrait of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the Central Hall of Parliament. Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and H.D. Devegowda and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran LK Advani were present at the unveiling.
Speaking on the occasion, President Kovind said that Vajpayee will always be remembered for his decisive leadership during challenging situations including the 1998 nuclear test and the Kargil War. “He contributed a lot in establishing India as a peaceful but strong and powerful country,” he said. Modi said there was equal power in the former leader’s speeches as well as in his silence.
“His communication skills were unparalleled and he had a great sense of humour,” he said. Recalling Vajpayee’s long political career, Modi said he spent a large amount of time in the opposition but despite that, he continued raising issues of public interest and never deviated from his ideology.
