Baig, a founder-member of the PDP, has been honoured with the Padma Bhushan for his contribution to "public affairs".
PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Baig on Sunday dedicated his Padma Bhushan to the people of Jammu and Kashmir as he posed with a copy of the Constitution on the Republic Day.
"This award has not been conferred upon me but it is for the people of Jammu and Kashmir," Baig, a former deputy chief minister and finance minister of the erstwhile state, said.
Baig is also a former Lok Sabha member and hails from north Kashmir.
"There can never be any referendum in J&K. Pakistan PM Imran Khan & the US president are asking for autonomy to J&K. It means they've accepted that J&K is an integral part of India...We demand that J&K should be given what the Constitution gives us," he said.
This was the first Republic Day in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 last year.
Baig, a founder-member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has been honoured with the Padma Bhushan for his contribution to "public affairs".
There were total of 16 people who have been honoured with the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award after Bharat Ratna and Padma Vibhushan.
Baig, a founder leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was one of the few politicians in Kashmir was not detained by the government even as the entire top leadership of the party, including former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, was put under preventive detention after abrogation of provisions of Article 370 on August 5 last year.
He has also been critical of Ms Mufti after she took over the reins of the party following her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's death.
Besides Mehbooba, top leadership of the National Conference, including two other former chief ministers - Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah - have also been under detention since August last year.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "PDP's Muzaffar Hussain Baig with a copy of Constitution of India")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}