JOIN USA day before the government formally announces a list of recipients of prestigious Padma awards, two spiritual leaders Baba Ramdev and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar have openly expressed their unwillingness to accept the second highest civil honour.
Sri Sri tweeted late on Saturday evening to announce that he had received a call from Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh apprising him that he was getting one of the Padma awards.
But, he said “I thank the government for considering me for the Padma award. There are many other deserving people. Instead of me, I would like them to honour someone else.”
Similarly, responding to speculations in the media that he was in contention of getting the honour, yoga guru Baba Ramdev wrote a letter to Rajnath Singh saying that as an ascetic he should stay away from “rewards or honours”.
The controversial saffron clad Baba requested the home minister to select some other deserving candidate for the award that will be made public on the eve of 66th Republic Day.
Padma awards are given in three categories of Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.
Others who figure in the list have pro-right wing leanings.
Mata Amritanandamayi’s name is also doing the rounds, apart from that of bollywood stars including Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan.
This is not the first time that noted figures have tuned down the awards on different grounds.
Country’s first education minister and freedom fighter Abul Kalam Azad had said no to the Bharat Ratna on the grounds that people who selected awardees should not themselves accept the honour. He, however, was posthumously awarded in 1992.
Some others like Kathak dancer Sitara Devi had refused Padma Bhushan in 2002, calling it an “insult” as lesser known artists were given Padma Vibhushan.
DH News Service