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Congress MP Karti Chidambaram on Monday criticised the central government following the announcement of the Padma Awards 2026, alleging that the selection favoured recipients from poll-bound states.
Chidambaram stated that the government had made the process of selecting Padma Awardees easier by prioritising individuals from states where elections are due. He contrasted this with the proposed "One Nation, One Election" model, suggesting that such a system would have complicated the award process. "If there was One Nation One Election, it would be so complicated for the Government to choose Padma Award recipients! Now it's so much simpler, just choose persons from poll-bound states," he wrote. The Centre on Sunday announced a total of 131 civilian honours across the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri categories. The list includes several prominent figures from public life, arts, cinema, literature, sports and public affairs. Earlier, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor took to X to celebrate the Malayali awardees and expressed his joy and well-wishes. Listing the awardees, Tharoor wrote, On the eve of Republic Day 2026, the Government of India's list of Padma Award recipients honoured several prominent Malayalis for their exceptional contributions across various fields." He made a special mention of the three Padma Vibhushan awardees, who hail from Kerala. "Notably, three out of the five Padma Vibhushan (India's second-highest civilian award) recipients this year are from Kerala!" he wrote, sharing the "Kerala Honours list." Additionally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a message, congratulated all the Padma awardees, asserting that their excellence, dedication and service across diverse fields enrich the fabric of the society. "Congratulations to all the Padma Awardees for their outstanding contributions to our nation. Their excellence, dedication and service across diverse fields enrich the fabric of our society. The honour reflects the spirit of commitment and excellence that continues to inspire generations," PM Modi wrote on 'X'. The Padma Awards, one of the highest civilian honours of India, are announced every year on the eve of Republic Day. The Awards are given in three categories: Padma Vibhushan for exceptional and distinguished service; Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of higher order, and Padma Shri for distinguished service in any field of activity. (ANI)
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