A post listing the alleged benefits extended to Bharat Ratna awardees is being shared widely on social media. Let’s verify the claims made in the post.
Claim: Bharata Ratna awardee enjoys lifelong income tax exemption, free lifetime travel on Air India and Indian Railways, participation in parliamentary proceedings, privilege equivalent to cabinet rank, Z-grade security as required, VVIP status, treated as a state guest within the country, and comprehensive facilities provided by the Indian Embassy during international travel
Fact: According to the RTI response given by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the benefits extended to the Bharata Ratna Awardees are:
1. The state governments are advised to declare Bharata Ratna awardees as the ‘State Guests’ during their travel within the state.
2. Indian missions abroad would provide proper facilitation as and when requested by the awardees on their visits abroad
3. they are entitled to diplomatic passports and lifetime free executive class travel on Air India
4. They are figured in column 7A of the table of precedence.
Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
On performing a relevant keyword search regarding the claim, we found an RTI response given by the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2014 about Bharata Ratna which also included the benefits extended to the awardees.
The response does not specify the exemption of awardees from paying income tax for their lifetimes. It also doesn’t address the eligibility for awardees to participate in parliamentary sessions, receive privileges equivalent to a cabinet rank, and obtain Z-category security when necessary. Regarding travel benefits, there is no mention of free and premium travel on Indian railways.
According to the response by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the benefits extended to the Bharata Ratna Awardees are:
- The state governments are advised to declare Bharata Ratna awardees as the ‘State Guests’ during their travel within the state.
- Indian missions abroad would provide proper facilitation as and when requested by the awardees on their visits abroad
- They are entitled to diplomatic passports and lifetime free executive class travel on Air India
- They are figured in column 7A of the table of precedence.
The Table of Precedence is published by the Ministry of Home Affairs, according to which at state or ceremonial functions, the Bharat Ratna Awardees are at 7A above Chief Ministers & Governors of states, outside their state. This order is used for protocol in official state functions.
Factly had earlier published a detailed article regarding the benefits and facilities extended to Bharata Ratna awardees.
To sum up, misleading claims are shared as supposed benefits of Bharata Ratna awardees.
