Review all cases of Padma awards given in past and snatch honours from those found involved in controversies
Opinion
By MADHU AGRAWAL
The resignation of ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochar from the post even before the probe by retired Justice BN Srikrishna in charges against her was over. Earlier she went on leave pending enquiry-proceedings. Union Home Ministry should now set procedure whereby prestigious national honours including Padma awards and Bharat Ratna may be snatched back from those found involved in controversies later by starting it with taking back honour from Chanda Kochar.
Even there are reports that some of those honoured with Padma awards in the year 2018, were declined these honours in past because of intelligence agencies not having endorsed their names after being cleared by Awards Committee. Even submissions filed with Union Home Ministry for taking back Padma awards from some celebrities involved in criminal cases and for being wilful bank-defaulters are not yet decided after years of filing submissions.
Central government should arrange a review of all Padma awards given in past by seeking affidavits from the awardees for their not being involved in court-cases and controversies. For future, intelligence agencies should be given sufficient time to verify nominations cleared by Awards Committee by requiring Awards Committee to submit final recommendations by 30th November with last date for recommendation preponed to 30th June. Even idea of making recommendations of Awards Committee public before final list is announced on eve of Republic Day can be studied so that people knowing some bitter facts about recommended names may send their comments to Union Home Ministry.
Writer is Guinness Record Holder for letters in newspapers