OWAISI KICKS UP ROW WITH RATNA REMARK

Hyderabad/ New Delhi, May 4: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has kicked up a row by questioning the award of country’s highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna to former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Mr Owaisi, a Hyderabad MP, also objected to Padma Vibhushan being awarded to BJP patriarch and former deputy Prime Minister L. K. Advani.

Mr Owaisi’s stand on the decisions of the Narendra Modi government on bestowing the top civilian honours on Vajpayee and Mr Advani was condemned on Monday by the BJP which said he was trying to give a “communal” colour.