Two months after Anna Hazare brought the UPA government to its knees, the Ministry of Culture included his name in the list of probables for the 2011 Gandhi Peace Prize. But the Prime Minister’s Office has withheld the list and has sought more names.
“The list of nominees has not been sent to the jury as the PMO is unhappy with the present nominations and wants more names,” said a government official. Culture Minister Kumari Selja recently wrote to jury members seeking nominations for the prize.
This is the first time that the jury is being asked to send their choices as the code of procedure for the award says that former members of the jury, among others, were competent to send nominations.
Sushma Swaraj, a jury member because of her position as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, confirmed that she received the letter last week. “I got a letter from Selja saying that they have not received my nomination and that I should send it,” she said.
She was unaware of any list from the ministry or the fact that she was a jury member. “In that case, my sending a name would be a conflict of interest. I would be sending a name and deciding on it,” she said.
Shyam Benegal, noted filmmaker and Rajya Sabha MP, expressed similar consternation. “I have not been informed (of being a jury member). Selja’s note also came to me but I have no clue as to who should be nominated. I, really, am incapable of doing it considering it is given to world leaders. I can’t think of anybody of that stature.”
Interestingly, the ministry’s list, culled from nominations, had more than a dozen illustrious names besides Kisan Bapat Baburao Hazare, better known as Anna Hazare. It includes Nobel Peace prize winner Aung
San Suu Kyi, Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former President APJ Abdul Kalam, Rajya Sabha member Karan Singh, agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan and the late singer Bhupen Hazarika, among others.
Selja and Culture Secretary Jawahar Sircar were not available for comment.
The official said that the proposal has been languishing in the PMO since end-October when it was sent by the ministry. The award is usually announced in November and conferred in January.
Other ‘competent persons’ who can suggest names are the past awardees, Members of Parliament, Nobel laureates, heads of international peace bodies, presidents, governors, vice chancellors and heads of Indian missions abroad, among others.
Once cleared, it goes to the jury which, this year, comprises Benegal and Infosys mentor N R Narayana Murthy besides three ex-officio permanent members — the Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India and the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
The International Gandhi Peace Prize, named after Mahatma Gandhi, was awarded annually until 2005. Launched in 1995 on the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, it is given to individuals and institutions for their contributions towards social, economic and political transformation through non-violence and other Gandhian The award carries Rs 1 crore in cash, a plaque and a citation.
“The list of nominees has not been sent to the jury as the PMO is unhappy with the present nominations and wants more names,” said a government official. Culture Minister Kumari Selja recently wrote to jury members seeking nominations for the prize.
Sushma Swaraj, a jury member because of her position as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, confirmed that she received the letter last week. “I got a letter from Selja saying that they have not received my nomination and that I should send it,” she said.
She was unaware of any list from the ministry or the fact that she was a jury member. “In that case, my sending a name would be a conflict of interest. I would be sending a name and deciding on it,” she said.
Shyam Benegal, noted filmmaker and Rajya Sabha MP, expressed similar consternation. “I have not been informed (of being a jury member). Selja’s note also came to me but I have no clue as to who should be nominated. I, really, am incapable of doing it considering it is given to world leaders. I can’t think of anybody of that stature.”
Interestingly, the ministry’s list, culled from nominations, had more than a dozen illustrious names besides Kisan Bapat Baburao Hazare, better known as Anna Hazare. It includes Nobel Peace prize winner Aung
San Suu Kyi, Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former President APJ Abdul Kalam, Rajya Sabha member Karan Singh, agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan and the late singer Bhupen Hazarika, among others.
Selja and Culture Secretary Jawahar Sircar were not available for comment.
The official said that the proposal has been languishing in the PMO since end-October when it was sent by the ministry. The award is usually announced in November and conferred in January.
Other ‘competent persons’ who can suggest names are the past awardees, Members of Parliament, Nobel laureates, heads of international peace bodies, presidents, governors, vice chancellors and heads of Indian missions abroad, among others.
Once cleared, it goes to the jury which, this year, comprises Benegal and Infosys mentor N R Narayana Murthy besides three ex-officio permanent members — the Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India and the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
The International Gandhi Peace Prize, named after Mahatma Gandhi, was awarded annually until 2005. Launched in 1995 on the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, it is given to individuals and institutions for their contributions towards social, economic and political transformation through non-violence and other Gandhian The award carries Rs 1 crore in cash, a plaque and a citation.
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