Rao’s reputation as the first full-term non-Gandhi Prime Minister has long unnerved the Congress leadership, as many saw his economic and foreign policy reforms overshadowed by the demolition of the Babri Masjid during his administration.

The announcement of Bharat Ratna for former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao could be part of the Narendra Modi-led government’s practice of looking across political divides to bestow state honors; however, Rao’s legacy and his complex relationship with his own party, the Congress, also make this a politically charged decision.

The first non-Gandhi PM from the party to serve a full term has long caused the Congress leadership discomfort, despite the fact that both Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge hailed the honor’s announcement on Friday.

India’s top civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna, was given to former prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao.

Narasimha Rao Garu was a renowned statesman and scholar who rendered significant service to India in a number of roles. “His visionary leadership was instrumental in making India economically advanced, laying a solid foundation for the country’s prosperity and growth,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X on Friday, February 9.

Sitapati’s book claims that Rao took an active part in the nuclear program. When he was appointed prime minister in 1991, he was among the select few politicians who were aware of the program’s existence.

The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and the Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO) recommended in a letter to Rao dated about September 1995 that India conduct two or three tests in Pokhran between December 1995 and February 1996.

Mr. Modi has frequently emphasized that the Congress, and particularly the Nehru-Gandhi family, has failed to “recognize the talent” of people who do not share their views, such as Rao. “This land gave the country a Prime Minister in the form of P.V. Narasimha Rao,” Rao said during a Telangana public gathering.. However, the royal family of the Congress didn’t like it and made fun of him at every turn. But that’s not all. The royal family of the Congress did not miss an occasion to disparage Rao, even after his death.

Masjid demolition overshadowed reforms

Between 1991 to 1996, Rao headed a Congress-led administration as prime minister. He assumed the position after the sad killing of previous prime minister Rajiv Gandhi during the 1991 election campaign, which Rao had refrained from attending in order to prepare for his eventual retirement from public office. Rao had a long career in the Congress, rising to the position of Minister of External Affairs and Home Affairs. When Rajiv Gandhi’s death rocked the 1991 campaign, he was preparing to leave Delhi. Following the results and when Ms. Gandhi herself turned down the position due to her recent bereavement, different sections of the Congress wanted different leaders to take over as prime minister. It was Rao’s decision to make.

He took over during a period of intense political and economic upheaval, when the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and the balance of payments crisis were both on the verge of collapse. Rao skillfully guided India toward economic reforms with the help of his hand-picked Finance Minister Manmohan Singh, but he also pulled down the Babri Masjid in 1992, a resentment that many Congressmen carried with them till the end of their lives. The adjustments he made to India’s foreign policy, particularly the Look East strategy, were only equal to his capacity to give policy makers the cover they needed to carry out the reforms required to pull the nation out of a severe economic crisis. But for the Congress, the devastation overshadowed all of this.

An exposed wound

There were numerous occasions after he became the prime ministership when Ms. Gandhi and Rao did not agree; some of these disagreements were ascribed to personal, others to political, and when the Congress lost the 1996 general election, he was held accountable.

In any event, the Congress had no jurisdiction over Rao’s later years. Eight months after the Manmohan Singh-led UPA administration took office, Rao passed away, and the way his final rituals were conducted caused a rift between the Congress party and Rao’s friends and family. Sanjaya Baru, a former media advisor to Mr. Singh, asserted in his 2014 book The Accidental Prime Minister that the Congress opposed Rao’s cremation.

Team Profile

Kanika SolankiNews Writer

Kanika Solanki is a dedicated student currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Delhi. With a passion for learning, Kanika actively seeks out opportunities to expand her skill set and explore new horizons. Previously, she served as a Content Writing Intern for Human Resources India, demonstrating her commitment to professional growth and excellence in communication.

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