Vyuham: Of Padma awards and partisan politics

​New Delhi: Awards and politics go together always even though such awards come by to some on sheer merit. Sometimes, meritorious considerations are just add-ons.  This year's Bharat Ratnas are most deservingly three stalwarts from three different fields yet, there is something more to their selection it seems.

Pranab Da who made his mark as statesman got the higher order. Pranab Mukherjee deserved the Prime Minister's post more than any perhaps but was not to be despite holding all the key posts in the Congress-led governments in the past. Why Congress never opted for him for the post is a mystery. A secular and liberal persona, Mukherjee never compromised on his principles...even when he visited the RSS headquarters in a deliberate move when invited. 

The Congress was wary, and the BJP was happy that his presence at Nagpur brought national attention to the Sangh as never before. His selection could be to embarrass the grand old party further. Whatever, it might be the RSS-led BJP cannot be called liberal. But, Pranab Da's choice for the highest award is to say "look we are not like you and respect all".

Nanaji Deshmukh's selection is more a matter of the DNA one could say. Though never an active politician, his contribution to today's BJP was immense in several ways. Is it to please the RSS? Could be. After all, it’s because of the early work of Nanaji (Chandikadas Amritrao 'Nanaji' Deskhmukh') that the money-ties of the Jana Sangh and later, of the BJP, flourished. 

The Modi government which 'honoured' Vajpayee 'sufficiently and more than any' recently, was quite shrewd in picking up Nanaji's name for the award. After all, Nanaji, though a key figure in the Jana Sangh, always nursed a grudge against Vajpayee. Is this a balancing act? Could be. 

Then we have a stalwart from the northeast, Bhupen Hazarika, a musician activist who put the NE on the cultural map of India irrevocably, being picked up amid the turmoil in the northeast over the citizenship issue. The trouble brewing for the BJP in Assam, particularly over its decision to grant citizenship to 'minorities' from the neighbouring troubled countries, has the potential to destroy its future in the region.

Comes amid this trouble, the announcement of Bharat Ratna to Bhupen Hazarika. Perhaps, the BJP-led NDA wants to contain the anger of the people. Hazarika is a much-loved personality in Assam. This selection could contain the unhappiness to some extent.  Take for example, the case of Gita Mehta, elder sister of Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Odisha.

It is obvious why the government picked up her name for the Padma award this year. In fact, Prime Minister Narendra Modi went all out to reach her ahead of the decision and reportedly spent nearly one and half hours with the Mehta couple. The BJP certainly planned to cosy up to Patnaik. Yet the good sense of Gita Mehta in rejecting the award as 'it comes in the election year' comes as a slap on the face of the BJP.