Sumitra Mahajan calls Vajpayee, Malaviya true gems of India

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Wednesday praised former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and educationist Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya for being conferred with the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna and called them the true gems of India

"By giving Bharat Ratna to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, they have given honor and respect to the choice of the people of India. He resides in the heart of every Indian. Both Vajpayee and Malaviya have worked to take forward their traditions and culture. They have a similarity of how to serve the society by being in politics. They devoted their life to serve the nation," said Mahajan.

"If such great people have got Bharat Ratna then it's grateful for India also that such people belong to our country and they will be an inspiration for the coming generation on how to work for the nation with unity," she added.

She also prayed for Vajpayee's good health.

"Whenever I meet him I pray for him to be in such a condition that he can at least express himself and talk to us because one cannot digest that Vajpayee is not speaking. Now he is in such a condition that I don't even know that weather he will be able to express his happiness on receiving the Bharat Ratna. He however never thought of getting it, both these leaders have worked without any expectations," Mahajan said.