Amid the raging debate on probable recipients of Bharat Ratna, the Samajwadi Party has thrown its hat in the ring demanding that this highest hounur of the country should be given to socialist leaders Ram Manohar lohia, former Prime Minister Chaudhury Charan Singh and eminent lyricist and poet Gopal Das Neeraj.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, state PWD minister Shivpal Singh Yadav said that Bharat Ratan should be conferred on those people whose contribution to the society is unfathomable.
“Both Dr lohia and Charan Singh deserve the highest honour of the country as contribution of Dr lohia and the former PM for the country would be remember forever. By conferring Bharat Ratna on them it would be a tribute to them,’’ Yadav said in his letter.
After reports of Kanshi Ram could be given Bharat ratna leaked out there was rumbling in the political cicrles as what will happen to Samajwadi Party if BJP includes lohia’s name in the list. As a cover up the Samajwadi Party wrote a letter to PM demanding Bharat Ratna for Dr lohia, who is party’s ideologue.
The Samajwadi Party leader also demanded Bharat Ratna for poet Gopal Das Neeraj. ‘’ Neeraji has written several patriotic songs which is even sung today. For his contribution in the field of literature he also deserves Bharat Ratna,’’ Yadav, who is also uncle of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said.
Meanwhile BJP questioned SP’s sudden sagacity. “The party was in power for almost 12 and a half year. SP was part of United Front Government between 1996-98 when Mulayam Singh Yadav was Defence Minister and for 10 years the party supported UPA. Why it did not ask for Bharat Ratna for Dr lohia at that time,” BJP spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak said.
He said this shows BJP cares for the people who deserve Bharat Ratna and Samajwadi Party is asking for this highest civilian award for DR lohia just to save its face. “Had it been serious it should have pressurized the then UPA Government to confer Bharat Ratna on Dr lohia. But it never did that,” Pathak said.