Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Subhas Chandra Bose may be named for Bharat Ratna

New Delhi: Speculation is rife that former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose may be named for the country’s highest civilian award Bharat Ratna.

The speculation has been fuelled by the Union home ministry placing an order for five Bharat Ratna medallions. BJP leaders have in the past demanded Bharat Ratna be awarded to Mr Vajpayee.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is heading the BJP-led government now, would take a call on this and probably would announce it in his Independence Day speech. Among others whose names are being speculated is Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

A senior MHA official said that four days back the government mint had been asked to make for five medallions of Bharat Ratna. “But ordering five medallions does not mean that five persons will be bestowed with Bharat Ratna. This is to keep adequate number of medallions in reserve,” he said.

Meanwhile, the freedom fighter’s grandnephew, Sugato Bose, who is also a Trinamool MP said, “Keep Netaji out of partisan politics. His stature is bigger than Bharat Ratna. How can Netaji be given Bharat Ratna after Rajiv Gandhi. Netaji and Gandhi are above Bharat Ratna. Former PM Atal Behari Vajpayee is a perfect candidate for Bharat Ratna, not Netaji. Don’t put forward Netaji's name Anyone with a sense of history will agree with me.” Mr Bose said.