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SC/STs, farmers do not find place in Padma list: Sharad

Unfazed by “strong opposition” over his statement on conferring Padma awards, JD(U) president Sharad Yadav on Monday stoked a fresh controversy by demanding that the practice be stopped, as it “discriminates” against a vast majority of people, including SCs, STs, minorities and farmers. He alleged that the award is given to people close to the government.

 “The previous government of Janata Parivar had not given away these official honours (Padma awards) to anybody. The awards are being given only to those who live close to the system (government). So I demand from this government to stop the practice,” Yadav said.  Raising the issue of ignoring SCs, STs, minorities and farmers for this coveted award, the socialist leader said, “Since the inception of Padma awards, nobody from SCs, STs, minorities and farmers community has been selected for this official honour. Even former President APJ Abdul Kalam had sent a note to then PMAtal Bihari Vajpayee about irregularities in the awards and had pointed out about non-selection of Dalits and farmers for the award.”

“In 1977, the erstwhile Janata Party government had stopped giving away the awards after noticing flaws in selection of nominees for the same. The then Prime Minister Morarji Desai and Home Minister Choudhary Charan Singh had stopped the Padma award distribution after leaders like Madhu Limaye, SM Joshi, Madhu Dandavate had raised reservations over the legitimacy of the award,” Yadav told Millennium Post.
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