Bihar ex-CM Karpoori Thakur to be awarded Bharat Ratna posthumously
Rising from humble origins in Bihar, Karpoori Thakur, a champion of social justice and backward classes, will be posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna. Thakur served as the Chief Minister of Bihar from December 1970 to June 1971 (Socialist Party/Bharatiya Kranti Dal), and from December 1977 to April 1979 (Janata Party). The announcement comes a day before the birth anniversary of the late socialist leader.
PM pays tributes
After the announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to the socialist leader. He said: "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."
Read PM Modi's full statement here
Thakur's political career
Thakur's trajectory to the Chief Ministerhood stands as a testament to his commitment to public service. His tenure in the 1970s, particularly, proved transformative for society's most marginalized segments. A committed socialist, Thakur's student days were imbued with nationalist ideals, leading him to join the All India Students Federation. The Lohia school of thought, advocating for lower caste empowerment, further shaped his political ideology.
His contributions
Thakur's most significant contribution lies in the "Karpoori Thakur Formula," a reservation policy implemented in 1978 to ensure equitable representation for backward classes in state services. This initiative, predating the Mandal Commission recommendations by over a decade, not only empowered marginalized communities but also catalyzed the rise of regional parties, reshaping the landscape of the Hindi heartland. He also served as Bihar's Education Minister.
Active participant of Indian freedom struggle
Belonging to Bihar's Samastipur district, Thakur actively engaged in India's independence movement from his early years. While imprisoned during the Quit India Movement alongside fellow freedom fighters, he continued in his efforts to oust the British from the country. He won his election for the first time in 1952, and since then never lost a single election in his career.
Thakur, the Jan Nayak
Thakur, known as Jan Nayak, was also Bihar's first non-Congress Chief Minister. The recognition of the social leader satisfies the long-standing demand of current Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his Janata Dal United party. Experts said, ahead of the general election, this move is perceived as an attempt to appease Kumar. Bihar has 40 parliamentary seats.
