Let Subhas keep the awards, says Basu

When reporters told Basu about Subhas8217; comment, the former CM retorted: 8220;Tell Subhas to accept all that! I don8217;t accept such things.8221;

With much lobbying at the national level, the nominations for this year8217;s Bharat Ratna have thrown up names ranging from former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to BSP founder Kanshi Ram.

Basu8217;s name cropped up last Friday when CPIM state secretary Biman Bose said the party had no objection if Basu was given the award. The same day, Congress leader Veerappa Moily had put up Basu8217;s name, saying if the BJP could propose Vajpayee then the Congress could very well back Basu.

CPIM general secretary Prakash Karat, alarmed by the implication that his party and the Congress were speaking in the same tones, promptly shot down the floaters about Basu. Till Subhas8217;s comment on Tuesday, Karat8217;s statement had been taken to mean that the party was against the award of any such honours to Basu.

Subhas8217; comment revealed that there was a section in the party which did not mind Basu getting the top honour. When it was pointed out to Subhas that the late EMS Namboodiripad had refused the Padma Bhushan, the Minister said: 8220;Aren8217;t we still paying for that refusal?8221; Basu8217;s retort seems to have drawn the curtains over the issue.