The Padma Award Conundrum: Ghulam Nabi Azad’s Recognition Sparks Intra-Congress Debate

Amidst the congratulatory messages flooding in for Ghulam Nabi Azad on receiving the prestigious Padma Bhushan, a deeper rift within the Congress party resurfaces, pitting the “G-23” dissenters against staunch supporters of the Gandhi family.

In a digital flurry of well-wishes, Congress stalwarts Anand Sharma, Kapil Sibal, and Raj Babbar extended their felicitations to Azad for this esteemed accolade.

Anand Sharma, in his tweet, expressed heartfelt congratulations to Ghulam Nabi ji, acknowledging his profound contributions to public service and parliamentary democracy over the years.

Meanwhile, Kapil Sibal’s message carried a sharper edge, highlighting the irony of Azad’s recognition juxtaposed against the apparent lack of acknowledgment within the Congress ranks for his service to the nation.

Notably, the official stance of the Congress leadership on this matter remains conspicuously absent, adding further intrigue to the unfolding drama.

In the aftermath of the Padma awards announcement, Jairam Ramesh added fuel to the fire with a veiled jab at Azad, invoking the symbolism of his name, implying a sense of subjugation rather than freedom.

Drawing parallels, Ramesh referenced former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s refusal of the Padma Bhushan, lauding his assertion of freedom over accolades.

As the controversy swirled, Ghulam Nabi Azad responded to speculations regarding his potential departure from the party, refuting any alterations to his Twitter profile and dismissing them as baseless propaganda.

Azad, Sibal, and Sharma, prominent members of the “G-23” faction, have long been vocal about the need for structural reforms within the Congress party, a sentiment echoed in their joint missive to Sonia Gandhi in 2020.

This latest episode further underscores the deepening schism within the Congress, accentuated by recent high-profile defections to rival parties, notably in the lead-up to crucial state elections.

The departure of RPN Singh, a former minister under the Manmohan Singh administration, marks yet another blow to the Congress, signaling a disillusionment with its current trajectory.

Singh’s exit joins a growing list of defections from “Team Rahul,” signaling a broader discontent among the younger echelons of the party leadership, further complicating its electoral prospects in the upcoming polls.