On Saturday, the NTR Centenary Celebrations presided over by TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu witnessed a hyper-energertic speech by R Narayana Murthy. The veteran filmmaker lunged for a Bharata Ratna for NT Rama Rao.
In his speech, Murthy needlessly belittled MG Ramachandran, the Tamil thespian and late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. Murthy controversially opined that MGR didn't inspire national political consciousness whereas NTR did. He suggested that NTR was greater than MGR but the latter was sought to be conferred the highest civilian honour by the Indira Gandhi regime purely for political reasons. MGR declined it and was given the Ratna posthumously in 1988.
Murthy needn't have discussed MGR to make a case for NTR. Everytime a demand for BR for NTR is made, MGR's example is given by many. It is nothing but a tiresome attempt at comparing two thespian turned leaders who operated in different political settings.
Murthy called upon Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy to demand the Ratna for NTR.
