Singer Adnan Sami, who had embraced Indian citizenship a few years ago, has been conferred with the prestigious Padma Shri award for his services in the field of Art. However, he has been under constant attack from Islamists and trolls associated with the Congress party after he was conferred with the honour.
On Sunday, following his party trolls, Mumbai Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam also stoked a controversy by objecting to Union government honouring Adnan Sami with Padma Awards. Nirupam said Adnan Sami was a Pakistani, despite having the Indian citizenship.
Questioning the Modi government over its decision to award Padma Shri to Singer Adnan Sami, Congress motor-mouth Sanjay Nirupam said, “Adnan Sami may be a great singer, but he is of Pakistani-origin. At a time when there is hostility with Pakistan, the decision to award Adnan Sami, despite him being an Indian citizen, has shocked the people of the country”.
#Breaking | Row over Padma Shri award to @AdnanSamiLive.
‘Why reward Adnan Sami? He was a Pakistani earlier’, says @sanjaynirupam.
TIMES NOW’s Kajal Iyer with details. pic.twitter.com/X5kriAiSiG
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) January 26, 2020
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has a taken a contradictory stand than Nirupam, as he congratulated Adnan Sami for being bestowed with the Padma Awards.
Taking to Twitter, Digvijaya Singh said, “I am very happy that Adnan Sami famous singer and musician and Pakistani Muslim immigrant has also been given Padma Shri. I had also recommended his case to GOI for giving him Indian Citizenship. He was given Indian Citizenship by Modi Govt.”
Congratulations to all Padma Awardees. I am very happy that Adnan Sami famous singer and musician and Pakistani Muslim immigrant has also been given Padma Shri. I had also recommended his case to GOI for giving him Indian Citizenship. He was given Indian Citizenship by Modi Govt.
— digvijaya singh (@digvijaya_28) January 26, 2020
Singer Adnan Sami, who was granted Indian citizenship from 1st January 2016, became a target of many on the social media after he was honoured with Padma Shri. He was living in India from 2001 on a visitors visa, which was renewed regularly. When his Pakistani Passport expired in 2015, the Pakistan govt didn’t renew it, after that he had applied for Indian citizenship, which was granted by the union government.
One Syed Kamran Hussain, a Youth Congress worker took to the microblogging site to invoke Sami’s Pakistani lineage. Invoking Sami’s father’s association with the Pakistani military, the Congress worker even went on to shamelessly target BJP government for conferring Sami with the award.
Read- Adnan Sami slays Pakistani trolls who taunt him for taking Indian citizenship
In fact, several social media users attacked the Modi government for awarding Padma Shri to Adnan Sami as his father was a Pakistani Air Force pilot who had fought against India in Indo-Pak wars.
Samajwadi Party-friendly ‘journalist’ Rohini Singh who is associated with ultra-left wing propaganda website ‘The Wire’ and is notoriously known for fake news and propaganda went on to question the famed singer’s credentials.
Islamic troll and Propaganda website Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair also raised this point, by sharing a video of Arshad Sami Khan talking about how they had shot down Indian aeroplanes.
Shockingly, these are the same people who often proclaim to be the champions of liberty and choice, are now attacking Adnan Sami for the acts of his father as a soldier five decades back.
Ahead of the 71st Republic Day, the government of India released the list of Padma Awardees who will be conferred with amongst the highest civilian awards later this year by the President of India.
As per the list released by the government, the President, this year, has approved conferment of 141 Padma Awards including 4 duo cases (one award is given to two persons). The list includes 7 Padma Vibhushan, 16 Padma Bhushan and 118 Padma Shri Awards.
Apart from Adnan Sami, Bollywood actor, Kangana Ranaut is also among the notable personalities shortlisted for the Padma Shri award which is given for distinguished service in the field of Art.
