Padma awards be discontinued: Sachar

JD(U) President Sharad Yadav's controversial demand that Padma awards be discontinued has found support from Justice (retd) Rajindar Sachar, who had refused the honour in 2008.
The former Delhi High Court Chief Justice has said that the awards are fundamentally flawed and urged Yadav that his new party should take it up as a public issue.
"I believe that this practice of giving Padma awards by the central government is fundamentally flawed and should be discontinued," he said in a letter to Yadav.
"Your party should take it up as a public issue and demand that the practice be discontinued," Sachar, whose report on poor socio-economic condition of Muslims had prompted the then UPA government to launch several measures for their welfare.

"I welcome it," Yadav said.
He had earlier alleged that the awards were given to dishonest people or those close to power and demanded that the practice should be discontinued. Though Yadav later clarified that he had termed the selection process as dishonest and not the people getting it.