Asaduddin Owaisi questions Bharat Ratna to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, BJP hits back at AIMIM chief

In a statement which could generate controversy, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has questioned the conferring of Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, to former PM and one of BJP's tallest leaders, Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Asaduddin Owaisi questions Bharat Ratna to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, BJP hits back at AIMIM chief

Delhi: In a statement which could generate controversy, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has questioned the conferring of Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, to former PM and one of BJP's tallest leaders, Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Owaisi slammed the Narendra Modi government for conferring the award to Vajpayee, alleging that the former PM was behind the destruction of Babri Masjid.

Owaisi maintained that on December 5, 1992 Vajpayee had made a speech which had communal overtones and had indirectly incited the breaking down of the structure in Ayodhya.

He added that if such a person was conferred the highest civilian award by the BJP-led NDA government then one could not expect any justice from the present regime.

"Have we forgotten December 5 (1992)? The same Atal Bihari Vajpayee who had said 'we are going to level the ground' has been now given the Bharat Ratna," he said, as per PTI.

Owaisi, a Hyderabad MP, also objected to Padma Vibhushan being awarded to BJP patriarch and former deputy prime minister LK Advani.

"How can the country's second highest civilian honour, Padma Vibhushan, be given to Advani who was facing criminal cases (in connection with the Babri masjid demolition)," Owaisi said at a book release function in Hyderabad on Sunday night. The same LK Advani who spread destruction in the country with his 'Rathyatra'. This could probably be the first instance of Padma Vibhushan being given to a person who is facing criminal cases," the AIMIM leader said.

Meanwhile, reacting to Owaisi's remarks, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said that there was no need to take the AIMIM leader seriously, as per ANI.

Another Union Minister and BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi sarcastically said that it appeared some people want that Osama Bin Laden should be given a great award.

"That's why those people will question the awarding people who have contributed and given sacrifices for the country, because it does not suit them, and the people who suit them are the ones who are against the country," he said.

On the other hand, BJP spokesman Sudhanshu Dwivedi said the efforts to take a "communal direction" by people like Owaisi on the basis of baseless and misleading issues doesn't come as a surprise to the party.

"I would only say that people who are dreaming to expand their political career in India on the basis of communal hatred can only be expected of things like these," he said.

Vajpayee was conferred with Bharat Ratna on March 27 at a special function at his residence in the national capital.

In a rare departure from protocol, President Pranab Mukherjee, himself a veteran Parliamentarian, drove to Vajpayee's residence at Krishna Menon marg in Lutyens' Delhi to confer the honour at a simple ceremony as he was ailing and had been out of public life for about eight years.

The brief event took place in the presence select dignitaries including Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and close family members that included his foster son-in-law Ranjan Bhattacharya and foster daughter Namita.

The citation read out at the occasion described Vajpayee as a statesman known for a subtle sharpness that engages, attracts and brings many together.

In his six decade long political career, five of which in Parliament, Vajpayee was elected to Lok Sabha 10 times and twice to Rajya Sabha.

(With Agency inputs)

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