Dimple, other SP leaders demand Bharat Ratna for Mulayam

The Centre had announced the country’s second highest civilian award Padma Vibhushan (posthumously) for the SP founder on R-Day eve

Samajwadi Party (SP) Mainpuri MP Dimple Yadav demanded the Bharat Ratna—country’s highest civilian award— for party founder the late Mulayam Singh Yadav. The demand was made at Saifai in Etawah on Thursday—a day after the Centre announced the country’s second highest civilian award Padma Vibhushan (posthumously) for Mulayam Singh Yadav.

The Samajwadi Party founder the late Mulayam Singh Yadav. (HT file)

Dimple Yadav is the daughter-in-law of Mulayam Singh Yadav. Some other senior SP leaders have also made a similar demand. However, BJP leader and U.P. tourism minister Jaiveer Singh, who also was in Etawah on Thursday, hit back at Dimple and the SP over their demand.

While talking to reporters, he said: “When she (Dimple Yadav) becomes PM, she can do it. Our good wishes to her.” “The BJP is large-hearted. It gave Padma Vibhushan to Mulayam Singh Yadav even though he had ordered firing on kar sevaks in Ayodhya. Our leaders have a big heart and forgiving nature,” he added.

“When Kalyan Singh died, Akhilesh, who lives at a stone’s throw, did not go to his residence to offer his tribute to the late leader. But when Mulayam Singh passed away, Kalyan Singh’s son Rajveer went to offer his tribute,” the minister said. Jaiveer Singh also said the SP was apprehensive that the Padma Vibhushan to Mulayam would hurt its votebank.

While talking to reporters in Saifai, the ancestral village of Mulayam, Dimple said, “Netaji should have been given Bharat Ratna...given his stature. The award should have been even much earlier...We will demand Bharat Ratna for Netaji”.

Earlier in the day, senior SP leader Swami Prasad Maurya also demanded the Bharat Ratna for the SP patriarch. Maurya said by giving the Padma Vibhushan to Mulayam, the government had “made a mockery” of his personality, work and contribution towards the nation.

“If Netaji had to be respected, he should have been honoured with the Bharat Ratna,” he tweeted in Hindi. On the eve of the country’s 74th Republic Dayon Wednesday, the Centre listed the recipients of this year’s Padma awards. It also announced a Padma Vibhushan for Mulayam– the former UP chief minister and also defence minister. He died on October 10 last year.

SP leader Shivpal Singh Yadav too made the demand, though he also expressed happiness over the Padma Vibhushan to Mulayam. While talking to reporters in Etawah, he said, “Netaji raised the voice for farmers, the poor and the downtrodden. That’s why he was given the award...party workers and people had been wanting Bharat Ratna for him...it should be fulfilled.”