New Delhi: As veteran BJP leader LK Advani turns 100, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday penned a heartfelt article on his “everlasting contribution to India”, recalling Partition, the Emergency, Rath Yatra and his role in building the BJP.
Sharing the article on X, PM Modi wrote that as a youngster in 1947, Advani experienced the pain of leaving behind his world in Sindh, yet rebuilt his life “without bitterness.” That trait, he said, defined Advani’s work in strengthening the Jana Sangh and building the BJP. The article was published in various national dailies as well.
“His tenures as BJP President saw the Congress falling sharply from 400 to below 200 in 1989 and the BJP becoming the single largest party for the first time in 1996. Advani Ji nurtured generations of Karyakartas and gave the Party a clear foundation rooted in the principle of Nation First,” wrote the PM.
He identified two qualities that set Advani apart: his ideological clarity and intellectual sharpness, and “the manner in which he exposed the pseudo-secularism propounded by a large section of the Indian polity for many years.”
An RSS Pracharak who first worked in Rajasthan, Advani moved to the capital and began working closely with former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. “History shows that it is rare for two towering political leaders to work together for several decades, cooperating without becoming competitors. Advani Ji and Atal Ji set a remarkable example. Together, they changed the course of Indian politics,” he wrote.
Advani became Chairman of the Delhi Metropolitan Council in 1967, and began his parliamentary innings in 1970. He served as Leader of Opposition in both Houses and later from the treasury benches.
“The Delhi that Advani Ji came to was coming to terms with the horrors of Partition. He immersed himself in making the Jana Sangh stronger. In 1967, Advani Ji became the Chairman of the Delhi Metropolitan Council, where he worked alongside the late Vijay Kumar Malhotra Ji (who became Chief Executive Councillor). In 1970, Advani Ji’s Parliamentary innings began. His interventions have won appreciation across the political spectrum. He made a mark as an MP and later, as Leader of Opposition in both houses and from the treasury benches too. Despite parliamentary commitments, he frequently travelled across India meeting people,” PM Modi wrote.
PM Modi recalled the 1991 Lok Sabha elections, when Advani contested from two seats, including Gandhinagar. Describing it as “a homecoming of sorts,” given his father’s settlement in Kutch after Partition and his earlier Rajya Sabha tenure from Gujarat, PM Modi said he helped prepare Advani’s nomination papers and assisted in the campaign. As a Gandhinagar voter, he said he voted for Advani on numerous occasions.
Calling the Emergency a “watershed” in Advani’s life, PM Modi said he was at the forefront of “saving democracy”.
“His experiences found their way into his book, ‘A Prisoner’s Scrap-Book.’ One part of that book, titled ‘A Tale of Two Emergencies’, beautifully explained the striking similarities between the events in India starting June 1975 and those in Nazi Germany in 1933,” he said.
Describing Advani as a “fiery Opposition leader but an equally excellent administrator”, PM Modi said that, “as Deputy Prime Minister and one of India’s longest-serving Home Ministers, he was instrumental in strengthening India’s security apparatus. His work in improving the lives of our security forces is remembered with great fondness. His unequivocal stand against terrorism ensured India got a tough anti-terror law.”
Turning to Somnath to Ayodhya Rath Yatra, PM Modi described it as “an iconic moment” that “changed the course of Indian society for the better.”
“I consider it a privilege that I got the opportunity to be involved in this Yatra from the ideation stage to execution. Being present at Somnath when the Yatra began was particularly special. A Yatra can be very demanding, requiring long hours, constant travel, physical endurance and an ability to remain focused despite fatigue. Advani Ji embodied this endurance,” he said.
He also recalled Advani’s arrest in Bihar and the BJP’s withdrawal of support from the Chimanbhai Patel Government in Gujarat, which he said sent a message that there would be no compromise on ideology and the Ram Temple.
“Many of our senior leaders and Karyakartas took an oath that, come what may, a Ram Temple will be built. And, years later, with the blessings of the people of India, a grand Mandir for Prabhu Shri Ram became a reality in Ayodhya,” he wrote.
PM Modi highlighted Advani’s simplicity, recalling that after the Navnirman Movement he stayed in Junagadh for a month as an ordinary Karyakarta preparing for Assembly elections. He described Advani as a “voracious reader” who goes carefully through newspapers, an enthusiastic film critic and a fan of cinema and theatre. His sense of history is reflected in his book, ‘My Country My Life.’
“Advani Ji always remained in touch with Sindhi culture. Another effort he undertook was the popularisation of Sindhu Darshan Puja near Leh. I myself had been to one Puja with Advani Ji and George Fernandes Ji,” he said.
PM Modi also paid tribute to Advani’s wife, Kamla Advani, as “a constant source of strength and support throughout his public life.”
Born on November 8, 1927, in Karachi (present-day Pakistan), Advani joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as a Swayamsevak in 1942. He played a pivotal role in Indian politics, serving as BJP National President for three separate terms, from 1986 to 1990, 1993 to 1998, and 2004 to 2005, making him the longest-serving president in the party’s history since its inception in 1980.
LK Advani first served as the Home Minister from 1999 to 2004 and later served as Deputy Prime Minister in the NDA government led by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee from 2002 to 2004.
In recognition of his exceptional contribution to the nation, Advani was conferred with the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, by President Droupadi Murmu in March this year.
Over a parliamentary career spanning nearly three decades, Advani has been widely acknowledged for his steadfast principles, visionary leadership, and lifelong dedication to strengthening India’s democratic and cultural framework.
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