PM Modi pays tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his birth anniversary

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid rich tributes to former prime minister and BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his birth anniversary.</p>
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"Remembering Atal Ji on his Jayanti. We are inspired by his rich service to the nation. He devoted his life towards making India strong and developed. His development initiatives positively impacted millions of Indians," PM Modi tweeted.</p>
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Tributes to beloved Atal Ji on his Punya Tithi. India will always remember his outstanding service and efforts towards our nation’s progress. <a href="https://t.co/ZF0H3vEPVd">pic.twitter.com/ZF0H3vEPVd</a></p>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1294806334756384768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Born on December 25, 1924, Atal Bihari Vajpayee went on to become India’s Prime Minister thrice and made an indelible mark with his statesmanship and good governance.</p>
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During his tenure as PM, there was a quantum leap in the infrastructure of the country with four to six-lane highways coming up on an unprecedented scale.  He was also the first non-Congress Prime Minister to complete a full term in office.</p>
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With a political career spanning over four decades that included 9 terms in the Lok Sabha MP and two in the Rajya Sabha, Atal Bihari Vajpayee was one of the greatest parliamentarians of the country. He was renowned for his oratory and the masses loved to hear him speak. </p>
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He is still remembered for his brilliant defence of the nuclear tests in Pokhran in 1998 when he turned the tables on the Congress in Parliament. "It is surprising that people are criticising the nuclear tests. When in 1974 then prime minister Indira Gandhi had carried out the tests, we welcomed it even while we were in the opposition. Was there any threat to the nation at the time," Vajpayee had pointed out.</p>
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The Narendra Modi government is working on several public welfare schemes named after the former prime minister. The Union Cabinet has approved the Atal Bhujal Yojana, a Rs 6,000 crore scheme to improve groundwater management. The government will also name a strategic tunnel under Rohtang Pass after him.</p>