Fatehabad, December 24
Leader of Opposition in Haryana Assembly, Abhay Singh Chautala, today accused the BJP government of saffronisation of Bharat Ratna awards.
Speaking to media persons here today, Chautala said neither Atal Bihari Vajpayee nor Madan Mohan Malviya – who have been selected for Bharat Ratna awards — had a role in the country’s Independence struggle or in ameliorating the lot of the common people. “The only qualification both Vajpayee and Malviya had is that they have a Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) background,” Abhay said.
“Hundreds of thousands of people gave written representation to the Central Government demanding Bharat Ratna for Chaudhary Devi Lal, who not only fought for the country’s Independence, but also worked towards improving the condition of farmers in the country. However, the government ignored their representations and chose Vajpayee and Malviya,” Abhay said. — TNS