Lucknow, Dec 13 (IANS): Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) has demanded that Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, should be conferred on the late Prime Minister and prominent farmer leader Chaudhary Charan Singh.

RLD national secretary Vijay Kumar Lal Srivastava said that Chaudhary Charan Singh was a true Gandhian, a champion of democracy, and a great leader who believed in socialist values.

He credited Singh for establishing the Mandal Commission and Minorities Commission during his tenure to strengthen brotherhood and social justice movements.

“Many big politicians including former deputy Prime Minister Chaudhary Devi Lal, former chief minister Biju Patnaik, Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna, Karpoori Thakur, George Fernandes, Raj Narayan Madhu Limaye, Piloo Modi, Mulayam Singh Yadav, and Sharad Yadav considered him as their leader,” Srivastava said.

RLD national spokesman Anil Dubey demanded that the Centre must make the announcement on December 23, the birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh, to bestow the Bharat Ratna on the former PM.