Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has decided to stabilished inquiry into the distribution of state’s top most Yash Bharti award given by the previous Akhilesh Yadav led Samajwadi government.
The prestigious Yash Bharti award was set up by Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav over two decades ago and given to Amitabh Bachchan, Naseeruddin Shah and Nawazuddin Siddiqui among others.
In 1994, Mulayam Singh started the award to honour eminent personalities who have done the state proud.
During his son Akhilesh Yadav’s rule, however, there were allegations that the prize-Rs. 11 lakh cash and 50,000 monthly pension-was being handed out arbitrarily, mainly for the financial benefit.
According to sources, if the inquiry establishes “misuse” of the award, the 50,000 monthly pension may be cancelled for recipients.
Some “Yash Bharti” winners like the Bachchan family-Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai-have not taken the pension.
Over the years, others who have been honoured include eminent poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan, singers like Shubha Mudgal and Kailash Kher and cricketer Bhuwaneshwar Kumar.
When the Bahujan Samaj Party led by Mayawati came to power, she discontinued the award.
In 2012, when Akhilesh Yadav took office after winning a huge victory for his Samajwadi Party, he reinstated the award but this time, there were many questions and controversies.
Even as he faced questions about his choice of winners, Akhilesh Yadav was accused of going too far when during one award ceremony held at the new Chief Minister’s headquarters Lok Bhawan in Lucknow, he announced the honour for the woman emcee on the spot.
Two staffers in the Samajwadi Party office were also named for the award – for “excellence in journalism”.
