Refusal of national awards increased in last 5-6 years: Sanjay Raut on Buddhadeb Bhattacharya turning down Padma Bhushan

After former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya refused to accept Padma Bhushan on Tuesday, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut claimed that the refusal to accept national awards has increased in the last 5 to 6 years.

"Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee is a big leader in Bengal. Leaders like Bhattacharya not only earn respect while they are alive but are also loved after death. Three others have also refused the awards this time. Refusal of the award has increased since the last 5 to 6 years", said Sanjay Raut.

Reacting to Kapil Sibal's tweet Raut said, "Ghulam Nabi Azad has also been given and he has accepted it which is a good thing", he added.

He further added, "Buddhadev Battacharya rejected Padma Bhushan. We only know this much about it. There is discord in their party, can't tell more about it."

Criticising the Congress, Raut said, "Living people are not conferred awards. On Balasaheb Thackeray Jayanti, I wondered why Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi are not tweeting anything about it."

"I was sad to hear this, I was surprised, but when I saw the list of Padma, I was surprised that when Balasaheb was so much loved but still he was not given the Padma award. He was a leader of Hindus and had cordial relations with BJP. So why didn't the Central government consider Balasaheb eligible enough for Padma Vibhushan?" asked Raut.

Speaking on Satyapal Singh's corruption comment, Raut said, "As the governor, he raised the issue of corruption. Goa government itself is the most corrupt. There is corruption at every step."

"BJP had made a disgusting comment on the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. But today he did come to Shivaji Park."

( With inputs from ANI )