Prominent socialist leader and ex CM Bihar, Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur bestowed with highest civilian award BHARAT RATNA posthumously
The two times chief minister of Bihar from December 1970 to June 1971 and from December 1977 to April 1979 for brief periods, popularly known as Jan Nayak, a leader of the backwards who fought for their welfare and wellbeing throughout his life has been chosen for the highest civilian award of the country BHARAT RATNA. The president of India Draupadi Murmu who is herself from the tribal community has on Tuesday announced his name for this coveted honour.
In a single line communique the Press secretary to the President Ajay Kumar Singh announced that the President has been pleased to award BHARAT RATNA to Shri Karpuri Thakur (posthumously). The prime minister Narendra Modi while expressing his pleasure over conferring the highest civilian award Bharat RATNA to the beacon of social justice wrote on social media platform X : 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.
His unwavering commitment to uplift the downtrodden and his visionary leadership have left an indelible mark on India’s socio-political fabric.
This award not only honours his remarkable contributions but also inspires us to continue his mission of creating a more just and equitable society.
The former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi who is on a 4700 kilometers Nyay Yatra covering 15 states impacting about 100 parliament constituencies wrote in social media platform expressing his jubilation over conferring the Bharat RATNA to Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur :
I pay respectful tribute to Jannayak Karpoori Thakur ji, an incomparable warrior of social justice, on his birth centenary. He is certainly a precious gem of India and the decision to award him Bharat Ratna posthumously is welcome. The BJP government’s concealment of the results of the Social and Economic Caste Census conducted in 2011 and their indifference towards a nationwide census is an attempt to weaken the movement for social justice. ‘Participatory Justice’, one of the five justices of the Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra, is the focus of justice and social equality, which can begin only after the caste census. In true sense, this step will also be a true tribute to Jannayak Karpoori Thakur ji and his struggles for the rights of the backward and the deprived. The country now needs ‘real justice’ not ‘symbolic politics’.
It may be recalled that Bharat RATNA ( posthumously) Karpoori Thakur’s incessant struggle for the backward classes of Bihar finally leading to reservation to the Backward castes in government services in Bihar also set the tune for the implementation of Mandal Commission recommendations in 1990 under the tenure of the then prime minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh.
Political analysts say that the decision to bestow the highest civilian award of the country to the iconic backward leader who fought for social justice throughout his life also contributing tremendously to Jai Prakash Narayan’s movement against draconian emergency called total revolution at the time of the date of general elections to be declared in March is because the ruling political dispensation at the centre wants to impress the backward classes voters and the electorates of Bihar who had high reverence for legendary leader Karpoori Thakur who breathed his last in the year 1988.
