When Telangana CM KCR decided to celebrate the centenary celebrations of former PM PV.Narasimha Rao, some raised opposition to his decision. They include few Muslim parties like MBT which questioned KCR’s decision saying PV.Narasimha Rao was responsible for the demolition of Babri Masjid and so he need not be respected in any manner.
Few others questioned that why KCR is ignoring leaders like Marri Channa Reddy. There is no denying the fact that Marri Channa Reddy was a good leader but PV. Narasimha Rao was the first politician from South to become the Prime Minister and that too from Telugu state. As for Babri Masjid demolition, Liberhan Commission acquitted PV.Narasimha Rao of all charges.
Now the question is why PV. Narasimha Rao deserves Bharat Ratna. PV.Narasimha Rao when he became the Prime Minister never showed any partiality. He appointed K.Padmanabhaiah of Maharashtra cadre as his secretary. Padmanabhaiah said PV appointed him after Maharashtra leader SB. Chavan recommended his name saying he was honest and noncorrupt.
He always remained apolitical. He gave cabinet status to talented politician Subrahmanian Swamy and similarly sent BJP President Atal Behari Vajpayee as India’s representative for a conference at United Nations. He also brought RBI Governor Manmohan Singh as the Finance Minister to revive the economy and gave him a free hand.
Whenever a proposal was placed in front of the PV.Narasimha Rao, the first question he poses would be whether it is constitutionally right. PV. Narasimha Rao changed India’s foreign policy towards ‘Look East’ and strengthened the relations with the ASEAN and also Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Thailand and proved Asia doesn’t denote only China and Japan. He also gave permission for Israel to open an embassy in the country and also strengthened the relations with Iran.
He planned to conduct nuclear tests before 1996 and directed the same to APJ.Abdul Kalam. But he couldn’t realize his dream and he was voted out of power. However, the Vajpayee government in 1998 conducted nuclear tests and fulfilled PV.Narasimha Rao’s dream. He planned to solve the Kashmir problem and told the leaders of the National Conference’s Farooq Abdullah and others that if they agree that Kashmir is an integral part of India, then he would solve the problem. But he was voted out of power and his dream remained unfulfilled.
He resolved the militancy and terrorist, separatist problems in Punjab and North-East states treating them not only as security issues but also as political ones holding discussions with few leaders.
However, he faced numerous corruption charges when in power and could be the only prime minister to face that. Though cases like JMM corruption cases, St.Kits, Lakhubhai cases, he came unscathed from all of them. All these cases were slapped on him by Congress insiders who hated him and also opposition leaders, for ordering an inquiry into Jain Hawala diaries. However, they forgot the fact that PV did not order the inquiry but the Supreme court of India directed the government to order the inquiry and used to review the case progress every week.