‘Champion for Marginalised’: Leaders Across Party Lines Hail Karpoori Thakur After Bharat Ratna Honour – News18

Late former Bihar chief minister and socialist leader, Karpoori Thakur will be conferred with the Bharat Ratna posthumously, the Rashtrapati Bhavan announced on Tuesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the “prestigious recognition” a testament to Karpoori Thakur’s “enduring efforts as a champion for the marginalized”.

“The President has been pleased to award Bharat Ratna to Shri Karpoori Thakur (posthumously),” a statement by Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

ALSO READ: From C Rajagopalachari To Former Bihar CM Karpoori Thakur, Here’s A List of Recipients of Bharat Ratna

“On my own behalf, on behalf of my party and on behalf of the people of Bihar, I want to thank the Central Government…I do not see it as politics. Tomorrow is his (Karpoori Thakur’s) 100th birth anniversary, perhaps he should In view of this, the Central Government has taken this decision,” Karpoori Thakur’s son and JD(U) MP Ramnath Thakur said.

Here’s how political leaders reacted to Karpoori Thakur being awarded Bharat Ratna –

• PM Modi took to the microblogging site X and said he was “delighted that the Government of India has decided to confer the Bharat Ratna on the beacon of social justice, the great Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Ji”.
• “I am delighted that the Government of India has decided to confer the Bharat Ratna on the beacon of social justice, the great Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Ji and that too at a time when we are marking his birth centenary. This prestigious recognition is a testament to his enduring efforts as a champion for the marginalized and a stalwart of equality and empowerment,” the prime minister said in an X post.
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah called the government’s decision to confer Karpoori Thakur with the prestigious award “a true tribute to his tireless struggles”.
• “Jananayak Karpoori Thakur ji, the brave son of the land of Bihar, fought a long struggle to create an all-inclusive governance system from the independence of the country till after independence. He remained dedicated to fighting for the rights of backward people, Dalits, poor and farmers throughout his life. Today, the decision of the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri

  Narendra Modi ji to honour Karpoori Thakur ji with Bharat Ratna on his birth centenary is a true tribute to his tireless struggles. With this decision the young generation will be able to know the immense contribution of Karpoori Babu,” Shah wrote in an X post.

• “I deeply appreciate and express my joy at the decision of the Government of India to honor Jannayak Karpoori Thakur ji,” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said.
• Karpoori Thakur ji worked all his life for the welfare of the poor and backward classes of society. Taking inspiration from him, as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, I had made a law to provide reservation facilities for the welfare of extremely backward and extremely Dalit classes. The decision to award Bharat Ratna to Karpuriji is a tribute to the idea of ​​social harmony and poor welfare and his contribution to public life. I thank @rashtrapatibhvn for this decision and express my heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji,” Singh wrote in an X post.
• Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar called it a “good decision” by the central government. “It is a matter of great pleasure to give the country’s highest honor ‘Bharat Ratna’ to former Chief Minister and great socialist leader Late Karpoori Thakur ji. This is a good decision by the Central Government. This highest honour given to Late Karpoori Thakur Ji on his 100th birth anniversary will create positive sentiments among the Dalits, deprived and neglected sections. We have always been demanding to give ‘Bharat Ratna’ to the Late Karpoori Thakur ji. The years-old demand has been fulfilled today,” Kumar said.
• “The decision to award (posthumously) ‘Bharat Ratna’ to the great freedom fighter, pioneer of social justice and public leader Karpoori Thakur is commendable,” Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said.
• BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad called awarding Karpoori Thakur with Bharat Ratna an “honour of the poor, the backwards of the country…”
• Union Minister Nityanand Rai said, “…First of all, I would like to express gratitude to PM Narendra Modi. Karpoori Thakur’s entire life was dedicated to the poor and deprived…Those who do politics in his name never thought for him, they just did politics in his name. Parties formed government with Congress but Karpoori Thakur did not get the honour…”
• JD(U) national secretary Rajiv Ranjan Prasad stated that Bihar CM Nitish Kumar had demanded Bharat Ratna for ‘Jannayak’ Karpoori Thakur on several occasions. “PM Modi-led government, which is about to complete 10 years of rule, accepted the demand. Still, this is a historic decision. We thank and congratulate them,” he said.
• RJD leader Mrityunjay Tiwari said, “Central Government decided to award Bharat Ratna to Karpoori Thakur. The BJP was verbally abusing him while he was alive and did not remember him for 9 years. Our party and leader Lalu Yadav were demanding Bharat Ratna for him continuously. Now that elections are near, they are remembering Karpoori Thakur and awarded him the Bharat Ratna. They are remembering him for votes…”