Former Bengal Chief Minister rejects Padma Bhushan

Former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said on Tuesday that he had no idea if he had been nominated for the Padma Bhushan and that if he had, he would decline it, in an extremely rare instance of a recipient declining one of India’s highest civilian honours, which would be a major embarrassment for the government.

“I don’t know anything about a Padma Bhushan award. No one told me anything about it. If indeed they have given me a Padma Bhushan award, I am rejecting it,” He declared this in a brief message in Bengali posted on the Bengal social media pages of his party, awardees.

According to CPI(M) sources, both Bhattacharjee and the party made the choice. “Com. Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, who was nominated for the Padma Bhushan award, has declined to accept it,” the party announced on Twitter. 

Com. Buddhadeb Bhattacharya who was nominated for the Padma Bhushan award has declined to accept it. The CPI(M) policy has been consistent in declining such awards from the State. Our work is for the people not for awards. Com EMS who was earlier offered an award had declined it. pic.twitter.com/fTmkkzeABl

Com. Buddhadeb Bhattacharya who was nominated for the Padma Bhushan award has declined to accept it. The CPI(M) policy has been consistent in declining such awards from the State. Our work is for the people not for awards. Com EMS who was earlier offered an award had declined it. pic.twitter.com/fTmkkzeABl

— CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) January 25, 2022

The Union Home Secretary, according to the central government, met with Mr. Bhattacharjee's wife about the award this morning. Officials from the Home Ministry explained the blunder by saying she had accepted the prize and expressed gratitude.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) released a list on January 25 with the names of those who will get Padma Awards this year. The Padma Awards will be presented to a total of 128 individuals from various fields.

Due to his deteriorating health, Mr. Bhattacharjee, the 77-year-old congressman has remained out of the spotlight. From 2000 to 2011, Mr. Bhattacharjee was West Bengal’s Chief Minister.

Mr. Bhattacharjee, a longtime Marxist, was one of two prominent opposition figures honored with Padma Awards this year. The other was Congress politician Ghulam Nabi Azad.

There are four Padma Vibhushans, 17 Padma Bhushans, and 107 Padma Shri Awards on the list. There are 34 women among the 128 recipients, as well as 10 foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI and 13 deceased awardees.

Others who have previously declined the honour:

Salim Khan, a film writer, had previously stated that he would not accept a Padma Shri award in 2015. Before him, historian Romila Thapar had turned down a Padma Bhushan in 2005 after returning her 1974 award in 1984 due to the Indian Army’s siege of the Golden Temple. In 1984, author Khushwant Singh returned his 1974 Padma Bhushan on the same problem, although he received the Padma Vibhushan in 2007.