Former West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has requested that government officials should not call or visit him regarding the matter of Padma Bhushan, which the communist veteran, on the eve of the Republic Day, has rejected. Bengal CPM state secretary Surjya Kanta Misra issued the statement on Buddha's behalf and said he can be reached via post because of his physical condition.
"It is difficult for Buddha da to move frequently, read or write. If we have to take some advice from him, we write it down, read it out to him and then take his consent. His brain is working better than before. On this issue, it is our responsibility to publish his reaction as is," Mishra wrote on Twitter.
After his name was announced for Padma Bhushan, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, through his party colleagues, released a statement in which he said, "I don't know anything about Padma Bhusan award, none has said anything about it. If I have been given Padma Bhushan I refuse to accept it."
Buddhadeb's rejection of the Padma Bhushan created a row as the home ministry said that a call was made to Buddhadeb's residence and his wife Meera Bhattacharjee was intimated the government's decision before his name was announced. No one from Bhattacharjee's family got back to the home ministry about his unwillingness to accept the Padma award, the home ministry said.
{{/usCountry}}Buddhadeb's rejection of the Padma Bhushan created a row as the home ministry said that a call was made to Buddhadeb's residence and his wife Meera Bhattacharjee was intimated the government's decision before his name was announced. No one from Bhattacharjee's family got back to the home ministry about his unwillingness to accept the Padma award, the home ministry said.
{{/usCountry}}Buddhadeb's family told that a call came but it got disconnected after the caller said that Buddhadeb would be conferred with the Padma Bhushan. No consent was taken.
Home ministry sources said the ministry always calls up the prospective awardees about the decision to give the Padma awards before announcing the names. If anyone conveys any objection, he or she is not named, sources said.
The party sad it has been the party's consistent approach towards awards from the state. Comrade EMS Namboodiripad had also declined an award, the party said. "Comrade Buddhadeb Bhattacharya who was nominated for the Padma Bhushan award has declined to accept it. The CPI(M) policy has been consistent in declining such awards from the State. Our work is for the people not for awards. Com EMS who was earlier offered an award had declined it," the party said.