Sharad Yadav had recommended Gurgaon doc for Padma award

JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav, who made a controversial statement that Padma awards are given to "dishonest" people, had himself recommended the name of a Gurgaon-based doctor for the coveted honour in 2014.
According to a Home Ministry document, Yadav, then a Lok Sabha member, recommended the name of Balraj Singh Yadav for the Padma award last year.
When asked about it, Sharad Yadav told PTI that he might have recommended someone's name as he keeps doing so regularly.
"There is no contradiction in what I have said and what I have recommended," he said.
Yadav claimed that he was misquoted on the issue.

"I have said that the 'process of Padma award selection is dishonest' as there is no transparency.

"Dalits, tribals and farmers are often ignored for Padma awards," he said.
Yadav reportedly said at a meeting in Mumbai on Friday that the Padma awards are given only to those people who are "dishonest".
"These are given only to people from high echelons of society," he said.
Yadav said not a single dalit, adivasi or farmer figured in the list of Padma awardees this year.
In 2014, government had honoured 127 eminent persons with Padma awards but Dr Balraj Singh Yadav's name did not figure in the list.

Apart from the JD(U) leader, three other persons also recommended the name of the physician. They were the then Haryana Health and Medical Education and Elections Minister Rao Narender Singh, Chief Judicial Magistrate and Secretary District Legal Services Authority, Gurgaon, Narinder Kaur and the Deputy Commissioner of Gurgaon.
The Home Ministry had received recommendations for a total of 1,878 persons for consideration for Padma awards in 2014.
Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri awards are given to eminent persons for their remarkable contribution in various fields of life.