Former Bengal CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee refuses Padma Bhushan

KOLKATA: Former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has refused the Padma Bhushan award which was announced by the central government on Tuesday.

Bhattacharjee is a former member of CPI-M politburo.

"I don't know anything about Padman Bhusan award, none has said anything about it. If I have been given Padma Bhushan I refuse to accept it," Buddhadeb Bhattacharya said on the Padma Bhushan announcement, according to a tweet by CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury.

Bhattacharjee is among 17 Padma Bhushan awardees announced on the eve of 73rd Republic Day.

The government announced 128 Padma awards including four Padma Vibushan and 107 Padma Shri. India's first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh were posthumously awarded Padma Vibhushan.