IANS
Lucknow, Jan 13 (mb): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has demanded that her mentor and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) founder Kanshi Ram should be honoured with Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian award.
In a letter sent to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday afternoon, Mayawati has drawn his attention to late Kanshi Ram's contribution in creating the awakening among Dalits and other marginalised sections of society.
"Kanshi Ram also did a yeoman service in breaking the barriers between different lower castes so that these could unite themselves into a meaningful political force and assert their rights," she noted.
The move was being seen as yet another salvo from Mayawati on the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government, with which she has been engaged in a tug-of-war over various political issues since she assumed office in May 2007.
Her demand comes a few days after Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani wrote to Manmohan Singh, proposing former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's name for the top honour.
CPM not to seek Bharat Ratna for Jyoti Basu
PTI
New Delhi: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Saturday put cold water on suggestions for Bharat Ratna to veteran Marxist Jyoti Basu, saying the party does not accept state awards.
"It is not a practice of our leaders to accept state awards," CPI (M) sources said here when asked for comments on reports suggesting Basu's name for the top civilian award.
The sources said that during the tenure of P V Narasimha Rao as the prime minister, the government had offered Padma Vibhushan to former CPI(M) general secretary and veteran freedom fighter EMS Namboodiripad. The party had turned down the offer even at that time, they said, adding that it had never been the practice to formally ask for such awards.
The name of the Marxist leader cropped up after senior BJP leader L K Advani had written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recommending that former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee be given the Bharat Ratna. Also read: Political spat over Bharat Ratna deepens
"When the name of Atal Bihari Vajpayee came up for Bharat Ratna, there is nothing wrong in the name of Jyoti Basu. He is also a great leader of the country", senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily said on Friday.
RJD chief and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad also supported the nomination of Basu, who holds the record of India's longest serving Chief Minister. Basu headed the Left Front government in West Bengal from 1977 till 2000.
As the controversy continued, the name of DMK supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has also come up.
BSP supremo Mayawati has also demanded Bharat Ratna for party founder Kanshi Ram.