OSLO: It is well known fact that organizations and individuals are free to nominate public figures for the Nobel Peace Prize. It is up to the Nobel Committee to decide whether a nominated figure deserves the prize or not, but the process of nomination itself is considered a normal process and seen as a civil right of an organization. No one had any problem with these accepted norms till date.
However, this normal and accepted process of nomination seems to have upset Prime Minister and BJP leader Narendra Modi, who reportedly tried to block an attempt to nominate Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Junta Ka Reporter has received copy of a letter from an organization named ISUP (International Society of Upright Professionals), which had recommended the name of Arvind Kejriwal for the coveted prize last year, but sources say that someone powerful in the PMO (Prime Minister’s Office) pressurized ISUP not to send this letter to the Nobel Committee.
A copy of the letter is reproduced below that never reached the Nobel Committee:
Our sources confirm that this is first of its kind incident where a letter of nomination has been blocked. ISUP was warned that their offices in India could be sealed and their FCRA account will be frozen if they went ahead with this letter of nomination.
It is not clear if this was done on orders of Prime Minister Modi himself or someone in the PMO was acting independently to please the PM. But in either case, this shows a new low in Indian politics where a rise of a fellow Indian was seen as a threat to domestic politics.
