Writer-Activist Ram Puniyani to Return Danish Siddiqui Award Over Jayant Chaudhary ‘Joining NDA’

Lucknow: Veteran academician and activist Ram Puniyani on Friday said he had decided to return the Danish Siddiqui Freedom Award conferred on him in 2023, in protest against Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhary joining hands with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of Lok Sabha polls expected to be held in India between April and May 2024. 

"Chaudhary Charan Singh has been happily awarded Bharat Ratna. In turn, Jayant Chaudhary is joining NDA (Modi). Am deeply pained by JC's decision to join NDA. In protest, to show my anguish, I am returning the Danish Siddiqui prize given to me by JC's Kisan Trust," Puniyani wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Puniyani has been involved with human rights activities and initiatives to oppose Hindu fundamentalism in India and is currently president of the Executive Council of Centre for Study of Society and Secularism (CSSS). He got the ‘Life Time Achievement Award’ in 2023 by the Kisan Trust for defending human rights and for working for communal harmony.

Speaking with NewsClick, Puniyani said, "There was an award function on November 15 in Delhi in which Jayant Chaudhary, Yogendra Yadav and Manoj Kumar Jha were present. I did not know about the organisation who was giving me Danish Siddiqui Freedom Award, but since the RLD chief contacted me before and I heard about undisputed farmer Chaudhary Charan Singh, I accepted the award.  It was great to hear Jayant's speech during the award ceremony. I felt that there were some people who would fight the communal forces. Whatever Jayant said during the award function, today he is saying exactly the opposite. Not only this, his decision to join hands with the very forces with whom he was talking about fighting disappointed and disheartened."

Puniyani added, "After I heard the news, I dialled Jayant to speak to him, but my calls went unanswered. This award return will not make any difference because I am not a celebrity, but I am expressing the pain inside me by returning the award."

Talking about today's scenario, social activist said, "One thing is evident from today's episode, these small (regional) parties and opportunist leaders, which have no political principles, only run after power and money. There is no hope from them. But I see a lot of hope from Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra because it has the power to keep secularism alive. Though my opinion about Congress was not good earlier. However, Rahul Gandhi continuously criticising RSS and if it remains firm on his opinion, there is hope that the country's scenario will change."

Puniyani is a former professor of Biomedical Engineering and former senior Medical Officer affiliated with the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. He began his medical career in 1973 and served IIT in various capacities for 27 years, beginning in 1977. 

Notably, the Danish Siddiqui Freedom Award (https://dsfaward.org/) is given by the 'Kisan Trust' to those individuals/organisations who show their unwavering resolve towards their duties to uphold constitutional values and public rights and protect freedom of expression.

Amid growing buzz of RLD jumping ship from the Opposition INDIA bloc to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna -- the fifth one in 2024 -- for former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh for his "incomparable contribution" to the country.

Incidentally, the late farmer leader is the grandfather of now RLD chief Jayant Choudhary, whose party has a support base in Western Uttar Pradesh but failed to win any seat in the 17th Lok Sabha. Choudhary is now a Rajya Sabha MP.

Meanwhile, several people who have been closely following the developments told NewsClick that BJP has offered RLD, which has substantial support among Jats and farmers in Western UP, two Lok Sabha seats and one Rajya Sabha seat in return for its support.