Atal Bihari Vajpayee birth anniversary: PM Modi, Manmohan Singh pay tributes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his predecessor Manmohan Singh paid tributes to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his 94th birth anniversary at the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal today. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah was also present at the occasion. Taking to micro-blogging website Twitter, the prime minister wrote “Tributes to Atal ji on his jayanti (birth anniversary). We reiterate our commitment towards creating the India he dreamt of."  Vajpayee served as the prime minister from March 19, 1998, to May 22, 2004, and for a short period in 1996. In 2015, Vajpayee was conferred the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award. Vajpayee joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS in 1939 and became a full member in 1947.

Delhi: Dr.Manmohan Singh arrives at a prayer meeting of #AtalBihariVajpayee at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal. He was received by BJP President Amit Shah. Today is Vajpayee's 94th birth anniversary pic.twitter.com/v7uVuRP6WR

— ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2018

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The Congress party tweeted: "Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a leader who was respected and loved by all. A man who believed in the power of democracy above all. We honour him today on his birth anniversary."

Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a leader who was respected and loved by all. A man who believed in the power of democracy above all. We honour him today on his birth anniversary. pic.twitter.com/DudrJz9c07

— Congress (@INCIndia) December 25, 2018

Sadaiv Atal, a memorial of the former prime minister, was dedicated to the nation on Tuesday. President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were among the dignitaries who paid floral tributes to the former statesman at the memorial built near the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, where his mortal remains were consigned to flames. Sadaiv (always) Atal memorial will be managed by a trust headed by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. 

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee while called Vajpayee a statesman said, "Tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji on his birth anniversary. He was a statesman who rose above partisan politics for the country’s good. We miss him a lot.” 

The birth anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee is also being celebrated as ‘Good Governance Day’ across the country. Vajpayee passed away on August 16 at AIIMS after a prolonged illness. With full state honours he was cremated on August 17.

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A day before his birth anniversary, PM Modi launched the commemorative Rs 100 coin in his honour at the Parliament House. The coin weighs 35 gram and has the portrait of the former prime minister with his name inscribed in the Devanagari script as well as English on one side. The bottom of the image on the coin has the birth and death year ---1924-2018 – of Atal Bihari Vajpayee inscribed on it. 

On the other side of the coin, it has a portrait of the Lion Capital of Ashoka Pillar in the centre with ‘Satyameva Jayate’ inscribed below along with the word ‘Bharat’ in the Devnagari script on the left periphery and ‘India’ in English on the right periphery.