A day after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led centre announced to confer Bharat Ratna to former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur, Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati demanded that party founder Kanshi Ram should also get it. She lauded Thakur's commitment to social justice and equality and his work for the extremely backward classes.
"Today, on his 100th birth anniversary, I pay immense tribute to the great leader Shri Karpoori Thakur ji, who fought to ensure constitutional right, social justice and equality to the extremely backward classes in the country throughout his life," the BSP chief posted on 'X'.
3. इसी प्रकार दलितों एवं अन्य उपेक्षितों को आत्म-सम्मान के साथ जीने व उन्हें अपने पैरों पर खड़ा करने के लिए बीएसपी के जन्मदाता एवं संस्थापक मान्यवर श्री कांशीराम जी का योगदान ऐतिहासिक व अविस्मरणीय है, जिन्हें करोड़ों लोगों की चाहत अनुसार भारत रत्न की उपाधि से सम्मानित करना जरूरी। — Mayawati (@Mayawati) January 24, 2024
The BSP chief welcomed the Centre's "belated decision" to award Kapoori Thakur with the title of Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian honour. She added that BSP founder Kanshi Ram should also get the hour for his contribution to helping Dalits live with self-respect.
"The contribution of BSP founder, who is known for helping the Dalits and other neglected people to live with self-respect and for making them stand on their feet, is historic and unforgettable. It is the wish of crores of people that he should be honoured with the Bharat Ratna."
Bihar’s two-time Chief Minister, Thakur, was named for the country's highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna, posthumously.
On Wednesday, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar thanked the Narendra Modi government for conferring Bharat Ratna on his mentor, Karpoori Thakur, but taunted the ruling dispensation at the Centre for not acknowledging that the move followed his "relentless demands".
At a rally organised by the JD(U) here on the 100th birth anniversary of late Karpoori Thakur, Kumar made it clear that the highest civilian honour was "fulfilment of only one of our many demands".
"It has been long since I have been organising functions in the honour of Karpoori Thakur and writing letters to the Centre, be it the previous Congress regime or the current one, requesting Bharat Ratna for the Jan Nayak. The move is proof of the realisation that you cannot go far without respecting his contributions", said Kumar, in an oblique reference to the BJP's attempt to make a dent in the JD(U)'s support base as quoted by news agency PTI.