In remarks that could stoke a fresh controversy, JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav has said Padma awards are given only to the “dishonest” and those from the upper echelons of society and asked socialist-minded people to spurn the honour.
“Samajwadi people (Socialists) should spurn Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan (uspe laat maarna chahiye)... These awards are given to only those people who are dishonest (beimaan)... these are given only to people from high echelons of society,” Yadav said speaking to the media after a felicitation organised to honour a senior socialist leader in Mumbai on Friday.
Yadav said not a single Dalit, Adivasi or farmer figured in the list of Padma awardees this year, adding this has been happening for last 68 years. later, when countered by the media after the event at the same venue regarding what he meant, Yadav affirmed, “Whatever I have said, I have said.”
However in New Delhi on Saturday, Yadav defended his controversial comments saying that his statement was shown ‘out of context’. “The media has not shown my complete statement. I was answering a question that was asked at the event. It (the statement) is shown out of context”, Yadav said.
Yadav, a Rajya Sabha member and winner of Best Parliamentarian award, had recently triggered a controversy in Parliament with his remarks about the body and complexion of South Indian women while speaking about discrimination on the basis of the colour of the skin. His statement was confronted by HRD Minister Smriti Irani with whom he also had a verbal duel in the Rajya Sabha while BSP supremo Mayawati and social activists across the spectrum sought the senior leader’s apology, which he did not.