“Right thing to do. He wants to be Azad not Ghulam,” tweeted Congress leader Jairam Ramesh after Buddhadeb Bhattacharya refused to accept the Padma Bhushan, taking a jibe at party colleague Ghulam Nabi Azad,

NEW DELHI — Hours after the Central government announced the name of Buddhadeb Bhattacharya for the Padma Bhushan, the veteran left leader and former chief minister of West Bengal rejected the prestigious award, purportedly in protests against the Modi government.

Bhattacharya, 77, was given the award for his contribution in the field of Public Affairs.

“I don’t know anything about the Padma Bhushan award. No one has told me anything about it. If they have given me the Padma Bhushan award, then I am rejecting it,” Bhattacharya said.

But from the outset, doubts were raised as to whether Buddhababu would receive the honour from the Narendra Modi government. In the end, the former chief minister announced his decision to return the award.

Apart from Bhattacharya, veteran musician Sandhya Mukherjee has similarly returned the Padma Shri award. He was informed of the decision the day before the award was announced but he decided to not accept it.

‘He wants to be Azad not Ghulam.’

After Buddhadeb Bhattacharya refused to accept the Padma Bhushan bestowed upon him the government of India on the eve of Republic Day, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has taken a jibe at party colleague Ghulam Nabi Azad, who has also been awarded the Padma Bhushan.

Jairam Ramesh tweeted on Bhattacharya’s refusal to accept the award, saying: “Right thing to do. He wants to be Azad not Ghulam.”

The comment was indirectly aimed at his party colleague Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was conferred the Padma Bhushan in the field of Public Affairs.