New Delhi, March 27: The Union Government had rejected proposals to confer Padma awards to a number of prominent, including famous TV anchor Arnab Goswami, cricketer MS Dhoni, controversial spiritual leader Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and tabla maestro Zakir Hussain, the Indian Express reported on Monday. The newspaper further said that the Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar and veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi, who were awarded India’s second-highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan, failed to mark their space in the initial list of nomination, the report said.
According to the Indian Express the two – Sharad Pawar and Murli Manohar Joshi – were awarded under the “public affairs” category, which falls under the government’s discretion. But there are no reports on who nominated them. Other prominent personalities whose names were turned down included music composer Anu Malik, Biju Janata Dal MP Baijayant Pandya. However, the home ministry didn’t give any reason for rejecting the names of these prominent personalities.
By the end of this year, the Padma awards are expected to be conferred by President Pranab Mukherjee at ceremonial functions held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Already President Pranab Mukherjee had approved 89 recipients for Padma awards, including seven Padma Vibhushan, seven Padma Bhushan and 75 Padma Shri awards.
The Indian Express report said that Ram Rahim Singh, the controversial chief of the influential Dera Sacha Sauda has received a maximum number of nominations, which was not considered by the panel.
Neerja Bhanot, an Airhostess, who was killed during a 1986 plane hijack, was nominated by actress-turned-politician Kirron Kher. Last year, a biopic on Neerja Bhanot, starring Sonam Kapoor, was released.
The committee to shortlist the names of Padma awards, comprised of the Cabinet Secretary, Secretary to the President, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Home Secretary, actress Wahida Rehman, political expert S Gurumurthy, former badminton player Pullela Gopichand, journalist and MP Dr Harivansh among others, the report said.
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