Rajnath Singh unveils portraits of ex-PM Vajpayee and Malaviya at Delhi Assembly chamber

Union minister Singh said the unveiling of the portraits of Vajpayee and Malaviya was a silent reminder of their words and our duty towards the nation

New Delhi

Union minister Rajnath Singh unveils a portrait of Atal Bihari Vajpayee as speaker Vijender Gupta and CM Rekha Gupta look on. (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

Calling them “true statesmen” who placed “the nation above power” and “principles above politics”, Union defence minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday recalled the contributions of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and educationist Madan Mohan Malaviya to nation building.

Singh was speaking at the Delhi Assembly after unveiling the portraits of the two leaders in the House chambers. The Union minister, accompanied by chief minister Rekha Gupta and speaker Vijender Gupta, also released a book titled ”Bharat Mata”.

Union minister Singh said the unveiling of the portraits of Vajpayee and Malaviya was a silent reminder of their words and our duty towards the nation. He called upon people to consider education as a source of furthering national interest, as Malaviya did, and to treat politics as public service, as Vajpayee did.

“Politics is not meant for the pursuit of power; they exemplified the highest standards of moral integrity, democratic responsibility, and national commitment, and that their public conduct continues to offer enduring guidance on ethical politics, unity of purpose, and the precedence of long-term national interest over transient political gains,” Singh said.

Singh said that Vajpayee believed that no one can become great with a petty mindset and ensured that political differences never turned into discord. “Vajpayee taught us to remain humble while in power and to serve national interests while in the Opposition. Even while criticising anyone, he always maintained dignity and avoided hurting them,” he said.

Vajpayee was a “true successor” of Malaviya’s thoughts and deeds, he said.

The event was attended by Delhi Assembly speaker Vijender Gupta, legislative affairs minister Parvesh Verma and other dignitaries.

Singh said that the historic House holds special significance. “Delhi Vidhan Sabha is not merely an architectural structure, but a living institution in India’s democratic consciousness... leaders such as Sardar Vitthalbhai Patel, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Motilal Nehru, and Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya shaped the idea of India within these democratic spaces even before Independence,” he added.

Speaker Vijender Gupta said that portraits of two Bharat Ratna awardees—both born on December 25—were being unveiled in the august Assembly. “Malaviya ji’s role as the founder of Banaras Hindu University and as a member of the Central Assembly and Imperial Legislative Council... echoes of his parliamentary speeches continue to resonate within the House. Vajpayee ji’s belief that governance must begin with concern for the poor, the needy, and the oppressed—an ethos that continues to guide public policy,” he said.

“These portraits are not merely images on the walls of the Assembly; they are guiding lights for India’s present and future,” Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta said, adding that both leaders devoted their lives to nation-building, lived the spirit of “Nation First” in action.