New Delhi: Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar on Wednesday said that the party has been demanding Bharat Ratna for former CM late Karpoori Thakur since 2007, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi will "attempt" to take full credit for it.
Addressing a rally on the birth anniversary of the former Bihar CM, Kumar thanked the government for conferring the country’s highest civilian award to Thakur. He said that Karpoorji worked a lot for the poor and the backward section of society.
"We had been demanding (for Bharat Ratna) continuously. They finally made the decision last night. So, I would like to thank them (Government), it is a matter of joy. He worked a lot for the poor, for the backwards. He worked for the upliftment of every section of society. He worked in the sector of education and every other area," Kumar said.
Thakur was named for the Bharat Ratna on Tuesday on the eve of the birth centenary of the fountainhead of OBC (other backward classes) politics in Bihar. He was the first non-Congress socialist leader who became chief minister twice – first for seven months in December 1970 and later for two years in 1977.
Bihar CM said that PM Modi called the late leader's son Ramnath Thakur, who is presently in JD(U), but did not make an effort to make a call to him. He said that the PM could claim "full credit" for Bharat Ratna to Thakur without acknowledging his efforts.
"I was told by Ramnath Thakur, my party colleague and the late leader's son, that the Prime Minister had called him up after the announcement. The PM has not called me so far. It is possible that he may claim full credit for the move. Be that as it may, I thank the PM and his government for fulfilling a demand I have been raising since I assumed power in Bihar," Kumar said.
Meanwhile, RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav said that Karpoorji gave strength to the poor, downtrodden people of the state.
"Karpoori ji gave strength to the poor, downtrodden people of the state. Those who were not able to raise their voice against the feudalists, Karpoori ji gave strength to such people," he said during an event in Patna.