Conferring Bharat Ratna on ex-PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee is nothing big: BJP MP Varun Gandhi

SULTANPUR: BJP MP Varun Gandhi today said that conferring Bharat Ratna on former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is nothing big compared to what he has given to the country.

"Bharat Ratna is only an honour. But as compared to what Atalji has given to the country, we have not given anything big in return," Varun said.

He said that it was due to Vajpayee that he joined BJP. The MP from Sultanpur was addressing a seminar here organised on the occasion of the 90th birthday of the former PM.

He said that despite being a Brahmin Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya strongly opposed ban on the entry of scheduled castes into famous temples at Kashi.

Varun said that if there would have been any other leader he would have pitched him against his (Gandhi) family but Vajpayee did not do that.

The BJP MP said that Vajpayee is big-hearted and he even forgave his opponents in the interest of the party.

He said that it was Vajpayee who taught that patriotism and secularism can go hand in hand.