"Sardar Patel was a 'ratna' (gem) of the country. He died in 1950 while Bharat Ratna was conferred on him in 1991. Why 41 years of delay in giving the award? Between that period Jawahar Lal Nehru was (PM) for 17 years, Indira Gandhi for 16 years and Rajiv Gandhi for 5 years, and Bharat Ratna was given to several people, then why Patel was given after 41 years?" Prasad asked. Addressing a rally in Chhattisgarh capital Raipur, BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad questioned why the former PM was not considered for the Bharat Ratna award.