NEW DELHI: The BJP on Monday staunchly defended its decision to confer Padma award to singer Adnan Sami by claiming that Sonia Gandhi too should be subject of discussion if everyone has to be judged by his or her parents deeds.
"You know Sonia Gandhi's father was related to Hitler. But when she was made an Indian, Congress wanted to separate her from his father. Interestingly, now they want to link Adnan Sami with his father," said BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra.
Patra also lashed out at what he called 'liberals' and 'tauhinbaghwale' (in an apparent dig to Shaheen Bagh protesters), claiming they wanted to delink Parliament attack mastermind Afzal Guru from his son or Pakistan origin author Salman Taseer from his father while insisting on linking Sami with his father.
Backing the decision, Patra asserted, "Adnan Sami is fit to get Padma award. This is a trick by liberals and 'tauhinbaghwale' to delink Afzal Guru and his son, Salman Taseer and his father but want to correlate Adnan Sami and his father."
Earlier, the Congress questioned the government's decision to give Padma award to singer Adnan Sami. Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill tweeted: "Why Padma Shri to Adnan Sami?"
He referred the case of army veteran Mohammad Sanaullah in Assam who was left out from the NRC. "Kargil Veteran Indian Soldier declared "foreigner" via NRC & son of Pakistan Air Force Pilot given Padma Shri - Is this New India?," questioned Shergill.