LUCKNOW: After the announcement of the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award of the nation, to two former PMs — Chaudhury Charan Singh and PV Narasimha Rao — as well as prominent agricultural scientist Prof MS Swaminathan, BSP national president Mayawati, on Friday, reiterated her demand of the Bharat Ratna for Dalit icon and BSP founder president Kanshi Ram.This is the second time Mayawati has raised the demand for the Bharat Ratna for the BSP founder.The first time she demanded it was when the Centre decided to confer the Bharat Ratna on former Bihar CM Karpoori Thakur on his 100th birth anniversary in January. The Centre has conferred five Bharat Ratnas this year with former Deputy PM LK Advani also receiving the award.Taking to microblogging site X, the BSP chief welcomed the Centre’s decision to confer the award on so many people saying: “We welcome the Bharat Ratna for all those who have been honoured by the present BJP government, but it is not appropriate to specifically overlook, ignore and disrespect Dalits in this matter. The government should pay attention to it.”She added that it was after a long wait that Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar was given the Bharat Ratna by the VP Singh government. “After Babasaheb, the struggle that the messiah of Dalits and deprived classes, Kanshiram, did for the sake of their rights is no less. He should also be honoured with the Bharat Ratna,” she said.The BSP chief said the Bharat Ratna for Kanshi Ram was also what crores of his followers wanted.
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