Congress’s Ghulam Nabi Azad, who received the Padma Bhushan award from President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhavan today, said, “It feels excellent when the us of a or the authorities recognises a persons work”.
“I like that any one acknowledged my work. Even throughout my ups and downs in exclusive phases of my life, I constantly strived to work for the people, be it in the social or political sphere or as a (former) Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir,” news agency ANI quoted him as saying.
“Keeping this in view, I am comfortable with the award given by means of the government and the human beings of the country,” he added.
The senior chief used to be one of the two opposition leaders who had been listed for the award on the eve of Republic Day amid a churn in the Congress over management issues. For his acceptance of the award, he used to be shaded by a section of leaders in the Congress.
Citing veteran CPM chief and former Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s refusal of the award, Mr Azad’s birthday party colleague Jairam Ramesh tweeted, “Right issue to do. He wants to be Azad not Ghulam”.
Today, Mr Azad slammed the critics, saying, “Some humans constantly attempt to see why such awards are given and who are they being given to. They do not realize the manner and the contribution of the person for attaining this award. This award is given through the country to me.”
The management trouble in the Congress, for which Mr Azad and the rest of the leaders who wrote to birthday party chief Sonia Gandhi two years ago, is yet to be resolved. The count has flared up again after the party’s crushing defeat in the assembly elections in 5 states the place the Congress registered one of its worst performances.
Mr Azad obtained the Padma Bhushan award — the 1/3 highest honour — in the subject of Public Affairs. One of the best civilian Awards of the country, Padma awards are given in a number of disciplines and fields of activities.
This year’s list comprises four Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan and 107 Padma Shri Awards. 34 of the awardees are female and 13 posthumous awardees.