Lucknow : Taking a jibe at Congress Member of Parliament Raj Babbar’s application for receiving a monthly pension of Rs 50,000 as a Yash Bharti awardee, Uttar Pradesh’s ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) said Saturday that it proves that even the opposition has approved the good governance that prevails in the state.
“I have come to know through media reports that Congress MP Raj Babbar has also applied for the pension of Yash Bharti awardees. It clearly shows that the Congress approves the fact that the Akhilesh Government is running the state very nicely,” party leader Naved Siddqui told ANI.
“It is good to know that those who criticised our policies are availing its benefits,” he added.
Siddiqui further said that the said scheme is a brilliant move by the Akhilesh Government.
“It’s very heartening to know that many people have submitted the applications. Well, a number of people have refrained from taking this Yash Bharti scheme, which included the likes of Jaya Bacchan, Amitabh Bacchan and Abhishek Bacchan,” he added.
The U.P Government’s offer of a monthly pension of Rs 50,000 for Yash Bharti awardees has attracted applications from over 100 recipients, including cricketer Suresh Raina, actor-turned-MP Raj Babbar and wife Nadira, classical vocalist Girija Devi and Chhannulal Mishra, among others.
Other prominent people who have petitioned the UP government for the monthly pension include poet Gopal Das Neeraj, cricketer Mohammed Kaif and actor Jimmy Shergill.
The UP government had sent out a copy of the state’s notification of the pension scheme, along with an application form, to all 141 recipients of Yash Bharti.
Until January 31, the last day for awardees to make an application, the government had received a request for pension from over 100 people.
Mega star Amitabh Bachchan, his wife Jaya and son Abhishek, who were also eligible for the pension, had earlier politely turned down the offer, and communicated the same to the state government, in writing. (ANI)