'Why now?' Nitish Kumar questions Congress' demand for 'Bharat Ratna' to Sonia & Mayawati 

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday quipped over UPA's demand of conferring Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honour in the country, to Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Nitish Kumar said that those making such demands should have conferred the honours when they were in power for two consecutive terms.

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'They should have given it when they were in power'

“All have the right to raise any type of demand, they were in power earlier, but they are demanding now, they should have given it then,” he said with a suppressed laugh.

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The Bihar Chief Minister was talking to reporters outside the police headquarters which he had visited to take stock of the law and order situation in the state. Kumar, who is the JD(U)s head, however, chose to remain non-committal over speculations of a split in the Congress with many of its MLAs poised to cross over to his party.

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The suggestion to confer Bharat Ratna to Sonia Gandhi was made by former Union Minister and Ex-Chief minister of Uttarakhand Harish Rawat that Gandhi, besides BSP supremo Mayawati, be considered for the civilian honour. Rawat had said in support of his demand that while the Congress president has taken the honour of Indian womanhood to new heights, the BSP chief had inspired millions of oppressed.

"Both Sonia Gandhi and Mayawati are eminent politicians. One may agree or disagree with Sonia Gandhi’s politics but can’t deny her tremendous contribution to woman empowerment and public service. Today, she is considered as an admirable image of womanhood in India,” said Rawat in a tweet in Hindi. He tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress party, Mayawati, and Rahul Gandhi in his tweet.  

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Several Congress leaders were reportedly surprised over this demand and its timing. Rawat's demand to present Bharat Ratna to Sonia is understandable, but advocating the same demand for Mayawati has raised many questions. In fact, in Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi is trying to surround Mayawati in every way.  Priyanka had even accused the BSP supremo of being an undisclosed spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

(With Agency Inputs)