Late singer Bhupen Hazarika's family refuses to accept Bharat Ratna
Late singer Bhupen Hazarika's son, Tej Hazarika has reportedly turned down Bharat Ratna conferred on his father. Tez, who lives in the USA has refused to accept the award in the wake of much-debated Citizenship Amendment Bill. In a statement, he alleged that his father's name has been unnecessarily used for political purposes.
He confirmed it to a local news channel of Assam. "In his songs he celebrated the richness of indigenous people not only of the Northeast but all of India and he advocated their inclusion in the Indian experience as essential to the success of Indian civilisation as a whole,'' Tez Hazarika said in an e-mailed statement. 67-year-old Tej is a publisher, writer and teacher, based in New York.
The iconic singer-composer Hazarika was posthumously honoured with the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna this Republic Day. Bhupen Hazarika is also the recipient of Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1987), and Dada Saheb Phalke Award (1992). The iconic poet and lyricist has mostly written and sung in Assamese but his songs are known to have a universal appeal.
On a related note, the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill is pending in the Rajya Sabha and will possibly be passed in the ongoing Budget session.
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