New Delhi, Jan 2 (PTI) Social activist Sandeep Pandey on Tuesday said he has decided to return the Ramon Magsaysay award conferred on him in 2002 in protest against the role of the US in the Israeli attack in Gaza.

Pandey, who has been associated with the Socialist Party (India), has also decided to return the dual Masters of Science degrees earned from US universities.

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The activist said Magsaysay Award was primarily funded by Rockefeller Foundation and the category in which he had received the honour was funded by Ford Foundation, both American foundations.

"Given the role of the US in blatantly supporting Israel in the current offensive against Palestinian citizens, more than 21,500 of whom are dead, and still continuing to sell arms to Israel, it has become unbearable for me to keep the award. I, therefore, am deciding to finally return the award too," Pandey told PTI.

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(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)