DISPUR: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has joined leaders lauding the Centre's decision to award Padma Vibhushan, the nation's second highest honour, to the late General Bipin Rawat who tragically passed away last month.
General Bipin Rawat, first Chief of Defence Staff who died in an air crash recently, and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh who headed the State during the Babri Masjid demolition were conferred with Padma Vibushan posthumously on the eve of the Republic Day. Padma Vibhushan, part of the Padma series, is the second highest civilian award.
"GoI's move to confer 2nd-highest civilian award Padma Vibhushan on India's first CDS Gen Bipin Rawat is a fitting tribute to the late General's rich legacy. The highly decorated officer was instrumental in reorganising India's Armed Forces into Theatre Commands," wrote Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, reacting to the development.
"Glad to know that former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister shraddheya Kalyan Singh ji has been posthumously awarded the second highest civilian award, Padma Vibhushan. The trailblazer of Ram Mandir movement, he is a civilizational icon who led India’s Dharmic Renaissance," he wrote in another tweet.
It needs mention here that Congress leader and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Ghulam Nabi Azad and former West Bengal CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee were awarded Padma Bhushan.