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Bharat Ratna For Karpoori Thakur, The Champion For Social Justice

By Linus Garg
First publised on 2024-01-24 07:01:00

About the Author

Sunil Garodia Linus tackles things head-on. He takes sides in his analysis and it fits excellently with our editorial policy. No 'maybe's' and 'allegedly' for him, only things in black and white.

In a masterstroke that is likely to add immense weight to its electoral prospects in Bihar and many other states, the Centre has conferred the Bharat Ratna on the champion of social justice, former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur, posthumously, just a day before his 100th birthday. In a signed article published in major newspapers today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has paid rich tributes to Thakur. He wrote that while a person is influenced by people who he comes in touch with, although he never met Thakur, he was always influenced by his thinking on social justice by hearing about his struggles and policies from his close associate Kailashpati Mishra. Calling him a true Jan Nayak, Prime Minister Modi wrote that being from backward class himself, he learnt a lot from the life of Karpoori Thakur.

Prime Minister Modi wrote further that "perhaps one of Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Ji's most significant contributions to India was his role in strengthening the affirmative action apparatus for the backward classes, with the hope that they were given the representation and opportunities they deserved. His decision was met with heavy opposition but he did not bow to any pressure. Under his leadership, policies were implemented that laid the groundwork for a more inclusive society, where one's birth did not determine one's fate. He belonged to the most backward strata of society but he worked for all the people. He had no trace of bitterness in him, which is what makes him truly great".

With the 2024 elections approaching fast, the BJP is trying to reach out to all marginalized communities, especially the tribals and the extreme backward classes (Thakur belonged to the nai caste, considered extremely backward). Conferring Bharat Ratna on Karpoori Thakur is being seen as another move in this regard. The move has also divided the alliance between JD(U), RJD and Congress in Bihar. While JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar, while emphasizing that he had always demanded Bharat Ratna for Thakur, welcomed the move by saying "the highest civilian honour given to late Karpoori Thakur ji on his 100th birth anniversary will create positive sentiments among the Dalits, deprived and neglected sections", the RJD and Bihar Congress, although welcoming the move, were more guarded in their response when they said that it was politically motivated. 

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