Social activist Sandeep Pandey returns Magsaysay award over US support to Israeli attack in Gaza

Given the role of the US in blatantly supporting Israel in the current offensive against Palestinian citizens, more than 21,500 of whom are dead, and still continuing to sell arms to Israel, it has become unbearable for me to keep the award. I, therefore, am deciding to finally return the award too, Pandey told PTI.

Social activist Sandeep Pandey on Tuesday said he has decided to return the Ramon Magsaysay award conferred on him in 2002 in protest against the role of the US in the Israeli attack in Gaza.

Pandey, who has been associated with the Socialist Party (India), has also decided to return the dual Masters of Science degrees earned from US universities.

The activist said Magsaysay Award was primarily funded by Rockefeller Foundation and the category in which he had received the honour was funded by Ford Foundation, both American foundations. ''Given the role of the US in blatantly supporting Israel in the current offensive against Palestinian citizens, more than 21,500 of whom are dead, and still continuing to sell arms to Israel, it has become unbearable for me to keep the award. I, therefore, am deciding to finally return the award too,'' Pandey told PTI.