JD(U) President Sharad Yadav today demanded scrapping of Padma Awards alleging that such awards are being given to those people who are influential and closed to the system.
Talking to journalists in New Delhi, Mr Yadav claimed that majority of the sections of the society have been ignored and not a single dalit, adivasi, minority and farmer figured in the list of Padma Awardees this year.
He also suggested that political persons should not be consider for the award. He, however, said he is not against the decision to confer the award on BJP veteran L K Advani as his stature is above such prize.
On Shiv Sena’s demand of revocation of voting rights of Muslims, he criticized the party and said such statements should not be given importance.