MPs demand Bharat Ratna for Dhyan Chand, BSP founder Kanshi Ram

Demands for conferring the nation's highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna on hockey legend Dhyan Chand and BSP founder Kanshi Ram were raised on Tuesday in the Rajya Sabha.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Dilip Kumar Tirkey (BJD) said Dhyan Chand had helped India win medals in 1928, 1932 and 1936 Olympics and his 570 goals in 185 matches during his career was a world record.

He was the highest goal scorer in two Olympics and Hitler had offered him a post of Colonel in the German Army after watching his performance at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Tirkey said, adding a metro station was named after the sporting legend during the 2012 London Olympics. Dhyan Chand's birth anniversary on August 26 is celebrated as Khel Diwas as he was among the greatest players of the 20th Century.

"I demand that the sporting hero be given the nation's highest honour, Bharat Ratna," Tirkey said as members cutting across party lines supported the demand.

Narendra Kumar Kashyap (BSP) through a separate mention, sought conferring of the highest honour for his party's founder Kanshi Ram, who he said, had worked tirelessly for creating a casteless society.

He was instrumental in getting SC/ST reservation in jobs and educational institutions and 27% quota for OBCs, Kashyap said. TK Rangarajan raised the issue of crisis in the sugar industry saying sugar millers were not paying farmers for the cane and dues have mounted to Rs 17,000 crore. He sought protection for cane growers.