Gandhiji is beyond formal recognition: SC dismisses plea seeking Bharat Ratna

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a PIL seeking conferment of Bharat Ratna on Mahatma Gandhi saying that people hold the Father of the Nation in "high esteem", beyond any formal recognition. A bench, comprising Chief Justice S A Bobde and justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant, however, asked petitioner Anil Dutta Sharma to give representation to the Central government in this regard.

"Mahatma Gandhi is the Father of the Nation and people hold him in high esteem, beyond any formal recognition," the bench said. The issue of directing the government to award Bharat Ratna to the Father of the Nation was not a "justiciable issue", it maintained.

The bench, however, said it agreed with the sentiments of the petitioner for granting official decoration to Mahatma Gandhi. Disposing of the petition, the top court added: "We will allow you to give a representation to the Centre in this regard." Sharma, in his PIL, had sought a direction to the government to give "official decoration" to Mahatma Gandhi to honour him for the contribution to the nation.With agency inputs