Gogoi questions Padma awardees' credentials

CM: On whose recommendations were four persons from Assam conferred Padma Shris this year?

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, Jan 28: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today created a flutter claiming that none of the persons recommended by the State government were included in the list of Padma awardees this year by the Central government.

The four persons from the State who were given Padma Shri awards were not recommended by the State government, he maintained.

The Chief Minister said the State government had sent a list of 28 mes for consideration for Padma awards.

 "No one recommended by the State government was conferred Padma honours this year. If the Centre didn't want to give it as per our recommendation, why did it seek the list?" the CM questioned, adding that the Central government could have included one or two mes recommended by the State government.

Gogoi also questioned on whose recommendation, the four persons from the State were given Padma Shri awards. "It was perhaps done at the behest of some BJP leader," he alleged.

"This is against the spirit of cooperative federalism and Team India, ideas advertised and promoted by the Central government so widely. During (Atal Behari) Vajpayee's government, it was not like this," the Chief Minister said.

Gogoi further maintained that the tableau from the State was included in the Republic Day parade at New Delhi only after he persolly intervened and took up the matter with the Defence minister.

Assam's tableau depicting Rongali Bihu won the third best prize in the parade.

 "We do not want to go for confrontation, but we will fight if denied our rights," he added.

Gogoi's comments came as a surprise to the four Padma Shri awardees, who termed it as "unfortute".

Four eminent persolities of the State - Dhirendra th Bezboruah, Prahlad Chandra Tasa, Kameshwaram Brahma and Ajoy Kumar Dutta - were given Padma Shri awards this year.

"I don't know about politics and political parties. Wherever required, I have criticized both the State and Central governments. I am a critic, so I never expected such a recognition from the government. But I am not surprised at the Chief Minister's comment. He has a habit of shooting off his mouth. It is unfortute that I live in a State where the Chief Minister talks so irresponsibly," veteran jourlist and eminent writer Dhirendra th Bezboruah, one of the four Padma Shri awardees from the State this year, said.

Describing the CM's statement as "unfortute", Prahlad Chandra Tasa said, "Every citizen has a freedom of thought. His political view is something persol. It is not necessary that an award is related to one's political stance."

Kameshwaram Brahma said, "I write because I like to do so. I am baffled as to why the Chief Minister made the statement."

Another awardee social activist Ajoy Kumar Dutta said, "Forget about me. The other three persons from the State who received the award are eminent persolities without any political connections. They deserve the recognition. I am saddened at the CM's comment."

THE MES RECOMMENDED BY ASSAM GOVERNMENT

Shri Arun Sarma (Art, Theatre)
Shri Achyut Lahkar (Art, Mobile Theatre)
Smti. Jyotsh K B Rout (Literature & Education)
Dr. rayan C. Deva Goswami (Art, Social Work & Literature)
Dr. Pitambar Deva Goswami (Art, Social Work and Literature)
Shri Abdul Mazid (Art, Actor & Director)
Shri Nipon Goswami (Art, Acting)
Smti Indira P. P. Bora (Others, Indian Culture, Dance)
Shri Moinul Haque (Art, Mime)
Shri Prabhat Sarma     (Folk & , Classical Instrumental Music)
Shri Umesh Chetia (Social Work, Education & Literature)
Smti. Malaya Goswami (Art, Acting)
Shri Sarbeswar Bujarbarua (Science & Engineering)
Shri Rabakanta Mahanta (Art, Mask Making and Bhao)
Dr. K. M. Bujarbaruah (Science & Engineering)
Dr. Illius Ali (Medicine)
Dr. Harsha Bhattacharjee (Medicine)
Shri Dilip Barua (Handloom & Textile Technologist)
Shri Dhiren Baruah (Social Work)
Shri Brij Mohan Khaitan (Trade & Industry)
Shri Biren Singha (Art, Sculpture)
Smti. Mira Kagti (Social Work , for disable)
Shri Uddhab Bharali (Science & Engineering)
Shri Hari Shankar Brahma (Civil Service)
Shri Bharat Kalita (Trade & Industry , Dairy Development)
Shri Ataur Rahman (Social Work)
Shri Radhika Mohan Bhagawati (Social Work, Jourlism)
Dr. Numal Chandra Bora (Doctor, Medicine)

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