New Delhi/IBNS: Conferring Padma Bhushan on Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav is a mockery of his stature and contributions to the country, party leader Swami Prasad Maurya said Thursday.

Mulayam Singh Yadav, who passed away on December 10, was awarded India’s second-highest civilian award Padma Vibhushan posthumously on Wednesday.

Maurya and other SP leaders demanded that Mulayam Singh Yadav be conferred the Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian award.

They maintained that if ‘Netaji’ (the honorific used by SP leaders to address Mulayam Singh Yadav) had to be respected then he should have been honoured with Bharat Ratna

Similar sentiments were echoed by party spokesperson IP Singh.

"Except the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honour, no other honour befits the son of the soil, Late Mulayam Singh Yadav. An announcement should be made to give Bharat Ratna to our respected Netaji without any delay," Singh tweeted.

Mulayam Singh Yadav was also three-time Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister.