Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that our minds are not ready to believe that Vajpayee is no longer with us. He was a stalwart loved and respected across all sections of society, he added. He said that over decades, Vajpayee’s voice remained the voice of the people. As a speaker, he was unparalleled. He is among the best orators our nation has produced, the Prime Minister added. Narendra Modi said that a long part of Vajpayee’s career was spent in the opposition benches, but he always spoke about national interest. The Prime Minister said that Vajpayee wanted democracy to be supreme. He expressed confidence that Vajpayee will continue to be an inspiration for all of us.
The 100-rupee coin with the image of the former Prime Minister has his name inscribed in Hindi and English. The coin weighs 35 grams and has the years 1924 and 2018 inscribed to mark the years of Vajpayee’s birth and death. On the flip side, the coin has the Lion Capitol of the Ashoka Pillar with “Satyameva Jayate” inscribed below.