India, Feb. 11 -- While it has been raining Bharat Ratnas during the past fortnight, one wonders why the government has not as yet declared that the highest civilian award should be conferred on current Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He richly deserves it and his being given the award would be as per the precedents, where two previous Prime Ministers were similarly honoured while they were still occupying the august office.
The reference is to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who was selected for the award in 1955, and Indira Gandhi, who was the recipient in 1971 soon after India humbled Pakistan in a decisive war leading to the creation of Bangladesh. Both were appropriate choices for this conferment, and therefore there can never be any debate on...