Bihar BJP, JD(U) Faceoff Over Venue To Celebrate Karpoori Thakur's Birth Anniversary

State BJP president Samrat Choudhary has threatened to stage a demonstration in front of the JD(U) office in Patna on January 24.

Bihar BJP president Samrat Choudhary.

Source : PTI

Bihar News: The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party in Bihar has slammed Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal United and accused it of sabotaging its plans to celebrate the birth anniversary of legendary socialist leader Karpoori Thakur in Patna later this week.

According to news agency PTI, State BJP president Samrat Choudhary has threatened to stage a demonstration in front of the JD(U) office in Patna on January 24, taking exception to the ruling party putting up tents at the Miller High School ground where the saffron party had sought administrative clearance for holding its event.

"The JD(U) is holding its own function at the veterinary college ground, which is a few kilometres away. Why does it then need another ground elsewhere for its workers coming from outside the state", Choudhary asked, as quoted by PTI. He alleged that the JD(U) used its clout to get both grounds booked for itself despite the saffron party planning the event way back in November when it had also moved the requisite application before the district administration.

Continuing his attack on JD (U), Choudhary also highlighted that the BJP had organized a Bhim Sansad in November which attracted huge crowds at veterinary college ground but party workers were put up at the same Millar High School ground.

"We had organized a Bhim Sansad in November which attracted huge crowds. The venue was the same veterinary college ground but party workers were put up at the same Millar High School ground. We cannot leave our workers to fend for themselves in the biting cold. If BJP wants to create a scene, we can only express regret," as quoted by PTI. The district administration has, so far, remained tight-lipped on the controversy involving the two parties.

Not In Our Character To Put Hurdles In Programmes Planned By Other Parties: JDU

Senior JD(U) leader and Bihar minister Ashok Chaudhary denied the charge levelled by the BJP. He said that putting hurdles in the way of other programmes planned by other parties is not in JD(U)'s nature.

"It is not in our character to put hurdles in the way of other programmes planned by other parties. We are not occupying the Millar High School ground without any authorization. If the BJP thinks the administration should not have allowed us to bring our party workers here, then we cannot help it," as quoted by PTI.

Who Was Karpoori Thakur ?

Karpoori Thakur had served as Chief Minister of Bihar in the 1970s. He had been a mentor to many of the state leaders of the current generation, including Nitish Kumar and his ally Lalu Prasad, the RJD president, as per PTI.

Thakur's tenure is best remembered for the implementation of the recommendations of the Mungeri Lal Commission, whereby quotas for backward classes were introduced in the state, much before the 1990s' Mandal Commission changed the national political contours. One of the highlights of the Mungeri Lal Commission was a separate sub-category called Most Backward Classes, which provided the template for the "ati pichhda" plank built by Nitish Kumar years later.

Following last year's caste survey, followed by a hike in quotas for all deprived castes, the Bihar Chief MBiharer aims to galvanise the extremely backward classes (EBCs). On January 24, Kumar is likely to visit Thakur's ancestral home in Samastipur district, a practice he has followed for many years, and also address the party function at the veterinary college ground.