Vajpayee, Malaviya placed nation above power: Defence Minister
Unveils portraits of two Bharat Ratna awardees at Delhi Assembly
Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and freedom fighter-educationist Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya exemplified true leadership by placing the nation above power and principles above politics. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated this after unveiling the portraits of the two Bharat Ratna awardees at the Delhi Legislative Assembly on Saturday.
Addressing the ceremony on the Vidhan Sabha premises, Singh said politics was not meant for the pursuit of power but was a sacred trust of public service, adding that democracy could endure only when guided by integrity and character. He noted that both Vajpayee and Malaviya upheld the highest standards of moral conduct, democratic responsibility and national commitment, leaving behind an enduring legacy of ethical politics and public service.
The event was attended by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta, Deputy Speaker Mohan Singh Bisht, Legislative Affairs Minister Parvesh Verma, Padma Bhushan awardee and Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) chairman Ram Bahadur Rai, BJP leaders, legislators, councillors and senior officials.
Floral tributes were paid to the leaders before the portraits were formally unveiled in the Assembly House.
Singh said the occasion held special significance as the country is marking the birth centenary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He described the Delhi Legislative Assembly as a living institution of India’s democratic consciousness, recalling that leaders such as Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Motilal Nehru and Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya had shaped the idea of India through debate and dialogue in such democratic spaces even before Independence. The unveiling of the portraits, he said, reaffirmed values such as parliamentary dignity, education-led nation-building and the primacy of national interest.
On the occasion, a coffee table book titled Bharat Mata, authored by journalist and historian Gunjan Aggarwal, was released, and a documentary film, Sansadiya Path Ke Aalok Stambh, chronicling the lives and contributions of Vajpayee and Malaviya, was screened.
Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta termed the day a moment of pride for the House, noting that both leaders, born on December 25, were jointly conferred the Bharat Ratna in 2014. He said the portraits would serve as guiding lights for legislators, reminding them that governance must begin with concern for the poor, needy and marginalised.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the installation of the portraits was not merely a tribute to the past but an inspiration for future generations. She noted that the ideals of nation first and democratic values embodied by Vajpayee and Malaviya continued to guide India’s journey, adding that remembering such leaders was essential to realising the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
