In a major outreach to the backward communities, especially the Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Narendra Modi government on Tuesday awarded Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, to late former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur.
"The President has been pleased to award Bharat Ratna to Shri Karpoori Thakur (posthumously)," said a statement from the President's Secretariat.
Thakur, who was a socialist leader and freedom fighter, is known for championing the cause of the backward classes in Bihar. Popularly known as ‘Jannayak’, he served as the state’s chief minister twice—from December 1970 to June 1971 and from December 1977 to April 1979.
Prior to that, he had also served as the deputy chief minister and education minister.
Born on January 24, 1924, Thakur began his political career with Praja Socialist Party and later joined the Janata Party during his initial tenure as the chief minister.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the government’s decision and said the award was a testament to Thakur’s enduring efforts as a champion for the marginalized and a stalwart of equality and empowerment.
“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,” Modi wrote on X.
The prime minister further noted that Thakur’s 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,” he said.
BJP looks to deepen connect with backward castes
The Bharatiya Janata Party party hopes that the award to Thakur will deepen the party’s connect with the backward communities in Bihar ahead of the general elections scheduled in April-May.
Thakur's caste is part of the Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), the most numerous demographic, according to the recent caste survey carried out by the Bihar government.
EBCs are 36 per cent while OBC are 27 per cent of the state's total population. The EBCs' count includes several Muslim castes too.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who left the National Democratic Alliance and joined the opposition bloc, has built his political success by weaving a coalition of a large chunk of EBCs and non-Yadav Other Backward Classes, reported PTI.
With Kumar's political graph being seen by many to be in decline, the BJP has been making a big push to woo his support base with various measures, including by appointing backward Koeri leader Samrat Choudhary as its state president, the report said.
