Kovind, PM Modi pay tributes to Vajpayee on his 95th birth anniversary

New Delhi, Dec 25: President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several other top leaders paid homage to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his 95th birth anniversary on Wednesday in Delhi.

BJP national head and Union Home minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also joined to pay tribute to the great statesman, the leaders placed flowers as a mark of homage at Atal Samadhi Sthal in central Delhi this morning.

PM Modi tweeted, "The citizens of this country give their tribute to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who is in their hearts, on his birth anniversary."

PM Modi's tweet included the montage featuring of the three-time prime minister and speeches by PM Modi praising Mr Vajpayee.

The memorial, Atal Samadhi Sthal was dedicated to the nation in December last year.

Vajpayee ruled the country for 13 days in 1996, 13 months in 1998 and for five years from 1999.

The BJP government is working on several public welfare schemes named after the former prime minister.

The Rs 6,000 crore scheme, Atal Bhujal Yojana, that is made to improve groundwater management has been approved by the Union Cabinet. The government will also name a strategic tunnel under Rohtang Pass after Vajpayee.

Vajpayee was known for his oratory skills, which was on display when he defended the nuclear tests in Pokhran in 1998.

Besides politics, the statesman preferred poetry to be his expression. He delivered his message effectively in a few well-chosen words.

The great statesman was born in 1924 in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. He died on August 16 2018 at AIIMS in Delhi.