Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Expresses Concerns Over Credit Claims In Bharat Ratna Conferment To Karpoori Thakur

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, speaking at an event organized by his party to mark the birth centenary of the late former Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur, mentioned that the demand for awarding Bharat Ratna to Thakur had been a longstanding request from the Janata Dal (United). However, Kumar expressed concern that Prime Minister Narendra Modi might seek to take full credit for the decision made by the Central government to posthumously confer the Bharat Ratna on Thakur.

Nitish Kumar disclosed that PM Modi had reportedly informed Thakur's son, Rammath Thakur, about the award, but he himself had not received a call from the Prime Minister. Despite the potential for credit claims, Kumar extended thanks to the PM and the government for fulfilling a demand he had consistently raised since assuming power in Bihar.

During the event, Kumar emphasized that he never brought family members into politics, inspired by Karpoori Thakur's life. Thakur, the first non-Congress socialist leader to become the Chief Minister, was posthumously honored with the Bharat Ratna by the Modi government. Nitish Kumar praised Thakur's influence on the commitment to the cause of Other Backward Classes and Extremely Backward Classes, advocating for the implementation of the caste survey and related welfare measures nationwide.

While the Congress welcomed the decision to confer the Bharat Ratna on Thakur, it also criticized Modi, stating that it reflects desperation and hypocrisy. Despite political perspectives, the award represents the acknowledgment of Thakur's role as a champion of social justice. Karpoori Thakur, affectionately known as 'Jan Nayak,' passed away in 1988 and is the 49th recipient of the country's highest civilian award. The last recipient was the late President Pranab Mukherjee in 2019.