While Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron Muzaffar Hussian Baig on Sunday welcomed the Padma Bhushan award saying “it’s an award conferred on the people of J&K,” the Jammu and Kashmir administration, in contrast, decided to drop the title of National Conference (NC) patron Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah from the Union Territory (UT) awards for policemen named after him.
In an interview to The Hindu, Mr. Baig said the timing of the award should not be related to the current crisis in Jammu and Kashmir, after the revocation of its special status on August 5, 2019. “The Government of India follows a calendar. There is a committee and a process to check the credentials. The award got nothing to do with the timing of the current crisis,” Mr. Baig said.
‘Release leaders’
Terming the Centre’s decision to honour him with the Padma Bhushan “an award in reality for the people of J&K than me,” the former Deputy Chief Minister called for the immediate release of regional leaders, including PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and NC president Farooq Abdullah and vice-president Omar Abdullah, detained since August 5, 2019.
