Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday showered praises on veteran Communist leader and former West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee after the Communist Party of India (Marxist) announced his decision to decline the Padma Bhushan, the country's third-highest civilian honour.
“Right thing to do. He wants to be Azad not Ghulam,” wrote Ramesh in what is seen as a reference to his party colleague Ghulam Nabi Azad, who too has been named by the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre as a recipient of the Padma.
While a statement from Bhattacharjee on his refusal of the honour has been shared by his party colleague Sitaram Yechury, there is no word yet from the Congress veteran and former Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha on the same.
{{/usCountry}}While a statement from Bhattacharjee on his refusal of the honour has been shared by his party colleague Sitaram Yechury, there is no word yet from the Congress veteran and former Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha on the same.
{{/usCountry}}Bhattacharjee and Azad among the key political figures across the political spectrum to have been named as recipients of the Padma Bhushan by the Union ministry of home affairs.
“Former Party PB member & WB CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharya had this to say on the Padma Bhushan award announcement I don't know anything about Padma Bhushan award, none has said anything about it. If I have been given Padma Bhushan I refuse to accept it,” Yechury wrote on Twitter a while ago.