Withdraw Teesta Setalvad’s Padma Shri: MP Home Minister Narottam Mishra
India Today
MP Home Minister Narottam Mishra demanded withdrawal of the 'Padma Shri' award bestowed on Teesta Setalvad.
Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Tuesday demanded withdrawal of the 'Padma Shri' award bestowed on social activist Teesta Setalvad.
Setalvad was arrested by the Gujarat police recently in a connection with a case related to alleged fabrication of evidence in the 2002 Gujarat riots. She has been sent to the custody of the Gujarat police till July 2.
Talking to reporters, Narottam Mishra said, "She was a member of the 'Award vaapsi' gang (those threatening to return awards). The award should be taken back from people like Teesta Setalvad, in the wake of the Supreme Court's remarks against such people, whose conduct becomes questionable and have been arrested."
He also accused the previous Congress government of bestowing the award on Setalvad for ‘appeasement of minorities’.
The Padma Shri award, one of the highest civilian honours, was given to Teesta Setalvad in 2007, by the then UPA government.
Setalvad’s arrest came after the Supreme Court upheld the clean chit given by an Special Investigation Team (SIT) to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2002 Gujarat riot case, and said those trying to “keep the pot boiling” need to be in the dock.
