As per reports in a leading daily, the Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has claimed that veteran actor Asha Parekh had visited his house so as to ask him for a recommendation for the Padma Bhushan honour. The actress had already received the Padma Shri in 1992.
He stated that the actress felt she was entitled to the honour due to her massive contribution to Indian films. Nitin Gadkari also revealed that when Asha Parekh came to his house, the lift of his apartment building was not functioning properly and the aged actress actually climbed 12 floors to meet him,
"Film actor Asha Parekh came to me for recommending her name for Padma Bhushan. The lift of my apartment was not functioning properly, so she climbed 12th floors to meet me in person and I really felt bad about it."
When Pinkvilla contacted the veteran actor for her side of the story, she stated that she did not want to comment on the issue. She said, "Let Nitin Gadkari say whatever he wants to."
According to the daily, the minister was speaking at an event in Nagpur and stated that he was being 'chased' by people so as to be recommended for awards.