On Bharat Ratna For Karpoori Thakur, Credit Contest Among Bihar Leaders

The Centre's move to name former Bihar Chief Minister, the late Karpoori Thakur, for Bharat Ratna has started a race to claim credit. While Opposition leaders in Bihar have welcomed the announcement, saying their long-standing demand has been fulfilled, the BJP has accused them of selling the legendary leader's legacy for votes.

Thakur, fondly remembered as 'Jannayak' and considered a fountainhead of OBC politics, will be the 49th recipient of the country's highest civilian honour. The Bharat Ratna was last conferred on late president Pranab Mukherjee in 2019.

In the wake of the announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi penned a tribute to Thakur. The Prime Minister wrote that as a person belonging to the backward classes, he has much to thank the 'Jannayak' for.

I bow to Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Ji on his birth centenary. On this special occasion, our Government has had the honour of conferring the Bharat Ratna on him. I've penned a few thoughts on his unparalleled impact on our society and polity. https://t.co/DrO4HuejVe

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 24, 2024

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar welcomed the announcement and thanked the Prime Minister. He said it is a moment of great joy and will create a positive sentiment among backward communities. Mr Kumar also stressed that a Bharat Ratna for Karpoori Thakur was his long-standing demand.

पूर्व मुख्यमंत्री और महान समाजवादी नेता स्व॰ कर्पूरी ठाकुर जी को देश का सर्वोच्च सम्मान ‘भारत रत्न' दिया जाना हार्दिक प्रसन्नता का विषय है। केंद्र सरकार का यह अच्छा निर्णय है। स्व॰ कर्पूरी ठाकुर जी को उनकी 100वीं जयंती पर दिया जाने वाला यह सर्वोच्च सम्मान दलितों, वंचितों और…

— Nitish Kumar (@NitishKumar) January 23, 2024

Former Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal patriarch Lalu Prasad Yadav said Thakur should have received the honour long back. "We raised this voice from the House to the streets, but the Central Government woke up when the present Bihar government of social concern conducted the caste census and increased the scope of reservation for the benefit of Bahujans. The fear is true; politics will have to focus on the concerns of Dalit Bahujan," he posted on X.

मेरे राजनीतिक और वैचारिक गुरु स्व॰ कर्पूरी ठाकुर जी को भारत रत्न अब से बहुत पहले मिलना चाहिए था। हमने सदन से लेकर सड़क तक ये आवाज़ उठायी लेकिन केंद्र सरकार तब जागी जब सामाजिक सरोकार की मौजूदा #बिहार सरकार ने जातिगत जनगणना करवाई और आरक्षण का दायरा बहुजन हितार्थ बढ़ाया। डर ही सही… pic.twitter.com/aWLctAMKuX

— Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) January 23, 2024

Mr Yadav's son and Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, too, said that the Centre "had to take this decision" in the aftermath of the RJD-JDU government's caste survey and its results.

Asked about the timing of the announcement, just before the Lok Sabha election, Tejashwi Yadav said, "Whatever the timing, our demand has been fulfilled. We had been fighting for this. All socialist leaders pushed for this."

Hitting back at the Opposition leaders, Union Minister and firebrand BJP leader Giriraj Singh said Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav had "sold to legacy" of Karpoori Thakur to get votes.

"Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav played in the lap of Congress for years. Why did they not get this done? The Congress government has not honoured anyone except the Gandhi family, whether it is Sardar Patel or BR Ambedkar. (Prime Minister) Modi ji has now brought a renaissance for the Sanatan Dharma with the 'pran pratistha' at Ram Temple and respected the backward classes by honouring Karpoori Thakur," he said.

"Karpoori Thakur did not get this honour because Nitish Kumar demanded it, but because of Narendra Modi's sensitivity," he said.

Ravi Shankar Prasad, another tall BJP leader from Bihar, also thanked the Prime Minister for the honour to 'Jan Nayak'. "Several of the previous governments used to think about only the people around them. Some of them thought only about their own families. The Narendra Modi Government thinks about the entire country. Someone might be our opponent, but if he has done something for the country, he will be honoured," he told news agency ANI.

Karpoori Thakur, born in 1924, was from a backward section and joined the Independence movement at a young age. He was also imprisoned during that time. Later, he rose to become a legendary socialist leader who served as Bihar Chief Minister thrice. He is remembered for his commitment to the cause of marginalised sections and his push for affirmative action. He died in 1988, during his second term as Chief Minister.