Bharat Ratna who? PM keeps the suspense on

Always a difficult task, but awarding a Bharat Ratna this year to a political personality either living or dead might be an impossible task for the government given the rising clamour for the honour from all quarters — claims have been made on behalf Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Charan Singh.

Given the fierce politicking over Bharat Ratnas, this year may well be the the seventh time in a row that the award is not announced. The last time the nation’s highest civilian award was announced was in 2001, the year it was given to two non-political personalities — playback queen Lata Mangeshkar and Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan.

This year, there have already been quite a few names doing the rounds, a process set off with Leader of Opposition L K Advani writing to PM Manmohan Singh suggesting that Atal Bihari Vajpayee be honoured with a Bharat Ratna. The names of Biju Patnaik (BJD), Kanshi Ram (BSP), Karpoori Thakur (RJD), Chaudhary Charan Singh (RLD), Jagjivan Ram and Jyotiba Phule (both recommended by LJP) are some.

Though the final decision lies with PM Manmohan Singh who, if he so wishes, may consult the Leader of Opposition and vice-president Hamid Ansari after going through a short-list, government sources claimed that there has hardly been any official move so far in this direction.
Still, there is a section which believes that the government may, at the last moment, spring a surprise by announcing a non-political name, someone who will be broadly acceptable to all.

Given the jostling over the social justice plank and the politics of reservations, it is possible that a figure from the past may be honoured. Yet, the government will be loathe to step onto a mine field.

Sources in the home ministry, which provides secretarial support to the Padma award committee through the home secretary, said if somebody writes to home minister Shivraj Patil suggesting names for Bharat Ratna, the request will simply be forwarded to the PM.

The provision of Bharat Ratna was introduced in 1954. The first Indian to receive this award was Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman. Since then, as many as 40 individuals have received this coveted award.

Courtesy:timesofindia.com
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