Friday, January 28 2005 16:51 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Anguished over the treatment meted out to him at Rashtrapati Bhawan, noted Gandhian author Vishnu Prabhakar has decided to return his Padma Bhushan Award to the Government.

"I have sent a letter today (Jan 28, 2005) to President A P J Abdul Kalam seeking his permission to return the award (given last year)," he told reporters.

The 93-year old Hindi writer took the decision upset over security personnel stopping him and his son from entering Rashtrapati Bhawan during the President's "At Home" on this year's Republic Day.

Though the invitation was in the name of Prabhakar and his wife, who is no more, he took his son along as he felt it was not wise to move alone at this age. But, since the security personnel did not allow him inside, he returned from the main gate.

Prabhakar said he had informed Rashtrapati Bhawan at the time of being invited for the Independence Day function that his wife had died and had also requested the authorities to invite his son or daughter in future so that he could take part in the functions.

He had written a similar letter to Rashtrapati Bhawan regarding the Republic Day invitation but there was no response, said Prabhakar, who had earlier declined to accept Padma Shri.

He rued that while during the days of first President Rajendra Prasad, writers and litterateurs had easy access to Rashtrapati Bhawan, it was indeed sad that these days even letters written by them were not replied to.