December 24 came with a news that indeed mattered, for many of us, Bharat Ratna to Mahamana Pundit Madan Mohan Malaviya.
The government announced today
Bharat Ratna to Malaviyaji along with former prime minister Atal Bihari
Vajpayee.
Vajpayee should have been awarded
a long ago but it took a BJP government in the Centre to do so, a justified
decision, that took so long to arrive at due to silly political considerations.
Vajpayee is one of the best prime ministers India has had and Vajpayee, the
Statesman, was acceptable across the political ideologies. And making Sachin
Tendulkar a Bharat Ratna while ignoring Atal Bihari Vajpayee was never
acceptable. Anyway, it is in now, thankfully.
The decision to award Bharat
Ratna to Malaviyaji, though Narendra Modi had promised, as for Atalji, was
bound to raise controversy, given the fact that it came 68 years after his death.
Posthumous Bharat Ratna decisions have been controversial but, Mahamana decision,
thankfully, is also in.
The great Mahamana - yes, the argument does stand that giving
Bharat Ratna to Mahamana Madan Mohan Malaviya posthumously would open a Pandora's
Box with supporters popping up even for the likes of Akbar and Ashoka.
But, for us, from the Banaras
Hindu University fraternity - it was long overdue.
And the nation has indeed honoured
itself by honouring Mahamana.
So, let's put aside the arguments
- even if valid they are - let them be for the gyaanis/experts/analysts
populating the others spaces.
And let's feel good about arrival
of this decisions.
And it should be Mahamana Madan
Mohan Malaviya and Atal Behari Vajpayee - the respect that 'age and period'
command, even if it is Vajpayeeji all around, with Mahamana in passing
references only.
Anyone who is from Banaras Hindu University
and has read to know Mahamana can feel his imprint on the University - on what
he wanted to make it - on what it became - on what it is becoming - to think
further.
The Greats who gave us our
Independence, who shaped our social structures and thought processes through
the tumultuous colonial years, are much above any recognition including Bharat
Ratna.
And it's that way here - the
Mahatma, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, called himself a
devotee of Malaviyaji and deciding on Mahamana's name is an honour for Bharat
Ratna in fact.
(Images sources from the Internet)