NEW DELHI, Feb. 12 -- Like countless people, I was very happy when President Droupadi Murmu announced the name of Karpoori Thakur as the posthumous recipient of the highest civilian honour of Bharat Ratna this year. She made the announcement on January 23, a day before his 100th birth anniversary. I personally felt that the government was honouring itself and enhancing the prestige of the award by conferring it on Jan Nayak, as he was popularly known.

I had no idea at that time that a few days later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi would himself announce the name of Lal Krishna Advani as another recipient of the same award. It was the first time two names for Bharat Ratna were announced in the same year.

It was curious that Modi made the a...