People lobby for Padma awards: Ramdev

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev sparked off a controversy on Saturday by saying lobbying for Padma awards is a known fact and those with political clout get them.

Ramdev said 'politically influential people are successful in getting the awards'.

"The whole world knows that all awards from Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan or Padma Vibhushan and even Nobel prize are given to good people for their achievements but people do lobbying to get these awards," said Ramdev on the sidelines of an event organised by Assocham to spread awareness about yoga.

The Congress party was quick to react. Party spokesperson Shakil Ahmed told IANS: "It seems that Ramdev is not satisfied with Modi government, and so he has raised questions over conferring Padma awards."

"There seems no reason to disbelieve him since Ramdev is very close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and has helped Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the last parliamentary election," he added.

BJP denied that Ramdev has said anything against the Modi government.

Party's national secretary R.P. Singh told IANS that what the yoga guru has said is a fact. It has been a general practice over the years that politically influential people are successful in getting the awards.

Earlier this year, Ramdev had declined any Padma award for himself after reportedly being considered by the government for the honour.