GUWAHATI,�Jan 28 - Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today expressed his displeasure at the Centre not nominating any of the names that were recommended by the State Government for Padma awards that were announced recently.
Addressing a press conference here today, Gogoi said that the Centre, by not approving any of the names recommended by the State, has shown disrespect to the federal structure of the country.
�Of course, the Centre has the prerogative to decide, but such adamant approach by the Centre is unprecedented. If they had to decide on their own why did they seek recommendations from the State at the first place,� Gogoi questioned.
�On whose recommendations were the Padma awards given? Was it the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders who
recommended the four names chosen for this year�s awards?� Gogoi quipped.
Dhirendra Nath Bezboruah, Prahlad Chandra Tasa, Kameshwar Brahma and Ajoy Kumar Dutta (social work) won Padma awards from the State this year.
�We do not want to go into a confrontation, but injustice will not be tolerated. We will fight if we are denied our rights,� the Chief Minister said.
Gogoi informed that he had recommended 28 names for the prestigious awards, irrespective of their political inclination, if any.
The Chief Minister further said that slogans like �Team India� and �Cooperative Federalism�, which are used by the National Democratic Alliance Government at the Centre, are mere eye wash and in reality it is quite the opposite.
He further said that the Assam tableau was included in the Republic Day function only after he personally intervened and took up the matter.
