Actor Raveena Tandon received the Padma Shri, fourth highest civilian awards in India, from President Droupadi Murmu at a gilded ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on April 05. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were also in attendance at the prestigious ceremony. Pictures of Raveena receiving the award in a golden saree has surfaced online.
However, awarding Padma Shri to Raveena has been met with mixed reactions on social media, with many questioning the basis on which she was conferred with the award.
One Twitter user asked, “For what? Tip Tip Barsa paani or her latest pro-govt statements?” While another commented, “Don’t understand why she’s given this award?” Some even went on to say that the only criterion for receiving the Padma Shri was to be a “Modi bhakt,” or a supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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Another user accused Tandon of spreading “toxic tweets and Islamophobia,” while someone else asked, “What has she done for this country?” Several users also criticized the Indian government, saying that the awards have lost their value and are given out to anyone and everyone.
One user even went as far as to claim that Tandon’s only service was to the BJP party and RSS, and that she consistently improved on communal vitriol.
Checkout some of the reactions:
It’s worth noting that Tandon has been a vocal supporter of the BJP and the Modi government. In the past, she has praised the government’s initiatives, such as the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and the Digital India campaign. However, whether or not these statements contributed to her receiving the Padma Shri remains unclear.