The entire Rajya Sabha on Tuesday demanded conferring the nation’s highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna to hockey wizard late Major Dhyan Chand. Several parties also recommended this award for BSP founder Kanshi Ram, who worked for a casteless society. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, former India hockey captain and BJD leader Dilip Kumar Tirkey said Dhyan Chand had helped India win medals in 1928, 1932 and 1936 Olympics and his 570 goals in 185 matches during his career was a world record.
He was the highest goal scorer in two Olympics and Hitler had offered him a post of Colonel in the German Army after watching his performance at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Tirkey said, adding a metro station was named after the sporting legend during the 2012 london Olympics. Given these achievements, this sporting hero be given Bharat Ratna, Tirkey said. Members cutting across party lines associated themselves with it.
Narendra Kumar Kashyap (BSP) through a separate mention, sought conferring of the highest honour for his party’s founder Kanshi Ram, who he said, had worked tirelessly for creating a casteless society. The BSP founder was instrumental in getting SC/ST reservation in jobs and educational institutions and 27 per cent quota for OBCs, Kashyap said.