Congress president Rahul Gandhi Friday congratulated former president Pranab Mukherjee on being conferred the Bharat Ratna, saying he is "one of our own" who has been recognised and honoured.
Congratulations to Pranab Da on being awarded the Bharat Ratna!
The Congress Party takes great pride in the fact that the immense contribution to public service & nation building of one of our own, has been recognised & honoured.— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 25, 2019
"Congratulations to Pranab Da on being awarded the Bharat Ratna. The Congress party takes great pride in the fact that the immense contribution to public service and nation building of one of our own, has been recognised and honoured," he said on Twitter.
He also expressed happiness for Bharat Ratna being conferred on Jana Sangh leader Nanaji Deshmukh and singer Bhupen Hazarika, both posthumously.
I’m happy that Shri Bhupen Hazarika and Nanaji Deshmukh have been honoured, posthumously, with the Bharat Ratna.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 25, 2019
"I'm happy that Shri Bhupen Hazarika and Nanaji Deshmukh have been honoured, posthumously, with the Bharat Ratna," he also tweeted.
Pranab Mukherjee also thanked the people of the country and said he is accepting the award with gratitude and humility. “It is with a deep sense of humility and gratitude to the people of India that I accept this great honour #BharatRatna bestowed upon me. I have always said and I repeat, that I have got more from the people of our great country than I have given to them,†Pranab Mukherjee tweeted.
It is with a deep sense of humility and gratitude to the people of India that I accept this great honour #BharatRatna bestowed upon me. I have always said and I repeat, that I have got more from the people of our great country than I have given to them.#CitizenMukherjee
— Pranab Mukherjee (@CitiznMukherjee) January 25, 2019
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to twitter and in a series of tweet congratulated all the three Bharat Ratna recipients which include Pranab Mukherjee, Nanaji Deshmukh and Bhupen Hazarika. With these three recipients, 48 eminent people have been conferred the award so far.