Guwahati, Jan. 28: Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi today criticised the Centre for not selecting prominent persons recommended by his government for the Padma awards this year.

Gogoi told reporters here this afternoon that not a single person recommended by the state government was considered by the NDA government for the Padma awards. He said his government had recommended the names of 28 individuals from different walks of life for their outstanding contribution to society.

"My government had recommended the names following a request by the Centre. If the Modi government had no intention at all to consider my government's recommendations it should not have asked us to send the proposal. The development is nothing but an insult and disregard to the 28 prominent persons," Gogoi said.

Instead of considering the names recommended by state government, the Centre bestowed Padma awards to four other persons from Assam, the chief minister said. The winners included Dhirendra Nath Bezbaruah and Prahlad Chandra Tasa (literature and education), Kameshwaram Brahma (literature, education and journalism) and Ajoy Kumar Dutta (social work), who were all conferred the Padma Shri.

Without commenting on the award winners, the chief minister questioned the criteria for selecting persons for the Padma awards.

"On whose recommendation were the four persons from the state given Padma Shri? The persons that the state government recommended did not have any affiliation to any political party. I am shocked and confused," Gogoi said.

Dispur had sent names of 28 persons to the Union home ministry in September last year.

They are Arun Sarma (art), Achyut Lahkar (mobile theatre), Pitambar Deva Goswami and Narayan Chandra Deva Goswami (art, social work and literature), Abdul Mazid (actor and director), Indira P.P. Bora (Indian culture, dance), Moinul Haque (mime), Prabhat Sarma (folk and classical instrument music), Harsha Bhattacharjee, Illius Ali and Numal Chandra Borah (medicine), Brij Mohan Khaitan (trade and industry), Sarbeswar Bujarbarua and K.M. Bujarbaruah (science and engineering), Biren Singha (sculpture), Jyotshna Kumari Biswal Rout (literature and education), Nipon Goswami and Moloya Goswami (acting), Umesh Chetia (social work, education and literature), Rabakanta Mahanta (mask-making and bhaona), Dilip Barua (handloom and textile technologist), Dhiren Baruah (social work), Mira Kagti (social work for physically challenged), Uddhab Bharali (science and engineering), Hari Shankar Brahma (civil service), Bharat Kalita (trade and dairy development), Ataur Rahman (social work) and Radhika Mohan Bhagawati (social work and journalism).

Gogoi also said the Assam tableau was included in the Republic Day parade in New Delhi only after he intervened.

"This was the first in my 15-year tenure as chief minister that I had to personally intervene to include the Assam tableau in the Republic Day parade," Gogoi said.

The chief minister once again alleged that the Modi government was holding back nearly Rs 17,000 crore, including oil royalty, from the state. This was affecting the state's development, Gogoi said while rejecting allegations by BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma that he was misleading the people regarding fund cuts.