New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday unveiled a life-size portrait of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the Central Hall of Parliament.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, former prime ministers Manmohan Singh and HD Devegowda and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran L K Advani were present at the unveiling.
Speaking on the occasion, President Kovind said that Vajpayee will always be remembered for his de-cisive leadership during challenging situations including the 1998 nuclear test and the Kargil War.
“He contributed a lot in establishing India as a peaceful but strong and powerful country,” he said.
Modi said there was equal power in the former leader’s speeches as well as in his silence. “His communication skills were unparalleled and he had a great sense of humour,” he said.
Renowned artist Krishn Kanhai of Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, prepared the portrait of Vajpayee, who served as prime minister three times between 1996 and 2004. The decision in this regard was taken unanimously on December 18 at a meeting of the parliament’s portrait committee chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. — IANS
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