Akhilesh to Yogi Govt on Yash Bahrti awards: You can favour your own people too

Responding to the allegations that favoritism was shown in giving Yash Bharti Awards during his tenure, Samajwadi Party leader and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said that the Yogi Adityanath-led government too should favour its own people for the Yash Bharti awards.

Reports say that Yash Bharti awards that carry a one-time payment of Rs 11 lakh and a lifetime monthly pension of Rs 50,000 were awarded to people close to Samajwadi Party between 2012 and 2017.

Addressing a rally in Azamgarh here, Akhilesh said , "They are saying that Samajwadi Party has given Yash Bharati Award to some of their people. I would like to say that even you should favour your own people and give the awards, nobody is stopping you."

Further critisising the BJP-led government, Akhilesh said "We gave Rs. 11 lakh and 50 thousand monthly pensions, your government is at Centre too, you ensure at least Rs 1 lakh monthly pension to Yash Bharati Awardees."

Yash Bharti Award is the highest Award of Government of Uttar Pradesh, Instituted in 1994, it is awarded to those personalities whose contribution is remarkable in the field of literature, social work, medicine, film, science, journalism, handicrafts, culture, education, music, drama, sports, industry and astrology.