RTI response on Padma Awards: Shocking revelations

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SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL

25 February, 2010

As regards to controversy in honouring Sant Singh Chatwal for Padma Bhushan, listed below are some of the shocking revelations through RTI petitions in respect of selection-procedure.

AS REGARDS to controversy in honouring Sant Singh Chatwal for Padma Bhushan, listed below are some of the shocking revelations through RTI petitions in respect of selection-procedure for Padma Awards:

1. Guidelines set by high-level KR Narianan Committee set up on directions of Apex Court are largely flouted in selection of Padma Awardees Last-date 30^th September of recommendations for Padma Awards at Union Home Ministry as set by KR Narianan Committee was changed to 20^th November that too making any last-date meaningless because of a rider of empowering President, Vice President, Prime Minister and Home Minister to send any recommendation till final minutes of announcement of Padma Awards (It should be fixed for all at 30^th September)

2.      Prime Minister’s Office has no record about ‘field of eminence’ of members of Awards Committee as required by KR Narainan Committee

3.      No minutes are recorded of meetings of Awards Committee for selection of Padma awardees

4.      Papers relating to selection of Padma Awardees are soon weeded out

5.      Even last-minute telephonic confirmations of all the members of Awards Committee is taken to endorse some Padma awardees just to fulfil formality of meeting Apex Court guidelines

6.      About a dozen members of Awards Committee from different parts of the country pick about 130 names or so that too in three variants from about 1200 recommendations in a meeting of some hours in a day (‘Non-application of mind’ taken to be improper in various court-verdicts on similar issues relating to selection)

7.      President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam had once sent a ‘secret’ note (attached herewith as received through CIC-verdict on RTI petition) to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpaee on irregularities in selection of Padma Awards

8.      There are cases when Padma Awards were conferred even on dates other than Republic Day that too without any public or formal announcement. Like in case of Dr Bindeshwar Pathak and Kishorebhai Ratilal Zaveri who were conferred with Padma awards on 30^th January

9.      All recommendations are put before Awards Committee without earlier being cleared by intelligence and tax-authorities leaving very little time for these authorities to carefully investigate persons endorsed by Awards Committee, and also leaving scope to include more favourites later on rejection of persons endorsed by Awards Committee but rejected by tax and intelligence authorities

10. About one-third of Padma Awards are for up-gradation of Padma awards of those having awarded lower-version of Padma Awards earlier.

Similar and other facts about gross irregularities are highlighted in detailed 31-page CIC-verdict attached herewith together with report of KR Narainan Committee and ‘secret’ note by the then President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam to the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Central Information Commission also directed copies of enclosed verdict to be forwarded to President and Chief Justice of India. Later CIC-verdict in appeal-number CIC/WB/A/2008/00976-SM desires Union Home Ministry to be transparent in revealing selection-process of Padma Awards to be transparent.