Veteran leader of the Communist Party of India and renowned socialist Satyapal Dang returned the Padma Bhushan conferred on him in 1998 to President A P J Abdul Kalam.
He returned the award on Saturday to protest against the 'gross violation' of government honours.
Dang, who had actively supported the mutineers of the British Indian Navy in 1946, said he was embarrassed at being clubbed along with people who 'publicly misuse' the titles.
"In a communication to President Kalam, I apprised him that most of the recipients of these awards had been wrongly using the prestigious titles for their vested interest," he said.
He returned the honour through registered post after Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar Kiran Deep Singh Bhullar allegedly refused to take the award back from him, he told reporters in Amritsar.
