Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a moment to honor Makhanlal Sarkar, a 98-year-old veteran of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), during a public event in West Bengal. Sarkar is recognized as one of the earliest grassroots figures in the nationalist movement following India's independence. In 1952, he was arrested in Kashmir while accompanying Syama Prasad Mukherjee, the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, in a movement to hoist the Indian tricolor. After the BJP's formation in 1980, Sarkar served as the organizational coordinator for the West Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri, and Darjeeling districts, successfully enrolling nearly 10,000 members in his first year. He held the position of district president for seven years, a notable achievement in a time when party leaders often changed roles every two years. West Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya recounted an incident where Sarkar was arrested for singing a nationalist song during the Congress regime. He defiantly sang the song in court instead of apologizing, leading the judge to arrange for his return home with a first-class ticket and 100 rupees.