By conferring the Padma Vibhushan on Mulayam Singh Yadav, the government has made a mockery of his stature and contributions to the country, Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya said on Thursday.

He and other party leaders demanded that the Samajwadi Party founder be conferred the Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian award.

Yadav was conferred the Padma Vibhushan, the country's second highest civilian honour, posthumously on Wednesday.

Reacting to the award, SP MLA Maurya tweeted in Hindi, "By giving Padma Vibhushan posthumously to Netaji Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav, the Government of India has made a mockery of Netaji's stature, work and contributions to the nation. If Netaji had to be respected then he should have been honoured with Bharat Ratna." Similar views were expressed by party spokesperson I P Singh.

"Except the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honour, no other honour befits the son of the soil, Late Mulayam Singh Yadav. An announcement should be made to give Bharat Ratna to our respected Netaji without any delay," Singh tweeted.

Yadav, the Samajwadi Party founder and three-time Uttar Pradesh chief minister, died on October 10 last year.

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