The government on Monday conferred the Padma Bhushan award posthumously on former Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and former Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel .

One of the tallest Dalit leaders from Bihar and the founder of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) Paswan passed away on October 8 last year, just ahead of the crucial Bihar assembly polls. He had undergone heart surgery days before his death.