One wonders why Chandan Mitra, senior journalist, Editor-in-Chief of the Pioneer and a Rajya Sabha member of the BJP was so provoked by an innocuous remark of Sen that he demanded the Nobel Laureate should be stripped of his Bharat Ratna. Mitra tweeted: “Amartya Sen says he doesn’t want Modi to become PM. Is he a voter in India? Next NDA government must strip him of Bharat Ratna.”

It matters little if Sen is a citizen of India or not. He is born in India and has done his country proud by winning the Nobel Prize. He has the right to comment on who he wants to be India’s prime minister. Mitra wants the next NDA government, not the present one, to strip him of Bharat Ratna. Is Mitra sure that the NDA will form the next government? Chances look quite bleak. Incidentally, Mitra will do well to remember that the NDA government, led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had decorated the Nobel laureate with India’s top award. Sen now says he will give up Bharat Ratna if Vajpayee wants him to do so.

It is not enough reason to take away any government award just because someone said he personally does not want Modi to be India’s next Prime Minister. The Bharat Ratna, or for that matter, any government award, does not come from personal collection, and does not take away awardee’s right to air his views.

Sen was asked in the interview: “There is the much-touted Narendra Modi model of governance. What do you make of that model of governance? Do you approve it?”

Sen’s reply was: “No, I don’t approve of it in the sense that…. There are two issues there. One is what do I think of the record and secondly are the things to learn from what Narendra Modi did. As far as the first is concerned, no I don’t think the record is very good.”

Sen also said that Modi could have done better. He could have been more secular. He could have made the majority community feel that they are not maltreating the minority and going against the long Indian tradition of being tolerant and he could have also taken both the facts that Gujarat’s record in education and health care is pretty bad.

Sen was also asked how he rated Congress Vice-President, Rahul Gandhi as a politician?

His reply was: “I haven’t assessed him that way. I know him as a different figure (not politician). I know him as a likeable young man, who was a student of Trinity College, Cambridge. We have met when I was Master of Trinity. We spent a pleasant day together. I did ask him then if he was interested in politics or not. At that time he wasn’t. However, I haven’t assessed him as a politician or a potential Prime Minister.”

The BJP, however, distanced itself from Mitra’s comments, with senior party leaders saying that it was the MP’s personal view. BJP spokesperson, Nirmala Sitharaman, said, “Bharat Ratna debate is unfortunate. BJP is not part of it.”

The Congress seized the opportunity to hit out at the BJP. The I&B minister Manish Tewari asked what is this (controversy of Bharat Ratna) if not fascism? That either you are with us or against us, and, if you are against us, return the Bharat Ratna. What wrong has Sen done? Does the BJP believe in freedom of expression?

There has been interesting debate on Twitter for and against Sen. AICC general Secretary Digvijaya Singh twitted: “Didn’t expect Chandan Mitra to make such an uncharitable remark about the Nobel Laureate. He is obviously in the company of narrow minded people.”

Srinivas tweeted on July 25: Why is such a seasoned journo like Chandan reacting unnecessarily? Prof. Sen has a right to his opinion. Much as much as Rajnath Singh has a right to beseech President Obama’s administration though they do not have any Indian vote…..

Ashok twitted on the same date: “ The question should be why should Sen utter things that are not relevant to his area of expertise”. Every body is entitled to an opinion as does Chandan.

K K Mehra said in his twit: “Congress only exploited minorities to get their votes. Whatever they have done is for selfish interest and not for the welfare of minorities. Amartya Sen is not ignorant of this fact, but for reasons best known to him, choose to target Modi only. No wonder, his image has taken a beating with the majority of the people of India.”

Suresh: Amartya Sen should be called Congress Ratna……

K K Mehra: This (Sen’s comments) only shows that ‘Modiphobia’ is very fast spreading. And, Sen could not escape it. It also shows relevance of Narendra Modi in Indian politics of today. I am sure Sen is very well aware that millions and millions of Indians want only Modi as their Prime Minister.

Kalmadanda Ganesh: Even Nobel Laureates are stung by Namo-phobia. Lage Raho Modi Bhai, it only increases your stature. (IPA Service)