NEW DELHI, Feb. 12 -- The government will award the Bharat Ratna to five people this year, the highest yet. Along with the previously announced L K Advani and Karpoori Thakur, the government has also decided to honour Chaudhary Charan Singh, PV Narasimha Rao, and Dr MS Swaminathan. Conventionally, the Prime Minister recommends the persons to the President, who gives it away. However, breaking the tradition, as is normalised now, the PM announced the names of some recipients. However, that is the least of anyone's concerns. The problem is what lies behind the choice of persons selected for this distinction. The names announced plainly reek of the motives behind them.

When the nation is about to exercise its franchise, the BJP is leaving n...