Kolkata, Jan. 26 -- Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after Karthik Maharaj was conferred the Padma Shri award, alleging that the BJP awarded him for his attacks on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Kunal Ghosh said, "Arijit Singh deserves the award, he is a great singer. But Karthik Maharaj receiving this award proves that this is a BJP award, it is sponsored, recommended and given by BJP. We don't need to learn Hinduism from Karthik Maharaj. Mamta Kulkarni has also taken Sanyas. If today someone becomes a Sanyasi, it can't erase their previous works. Karthik Maharaj is a respected person in his circle but the award he got is under the recommendation of the BJP and for poli...