Bharat Ratna for Karpoori Thakur: Lalu calls decision political, links it to Bihar quota hike

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav echoed his father’s views and said the BJP has got nervous and its decision to confer the highest civilian honour on Karpoori Thakur — though a welcome move – had been “purely borne out of its electoral constraints” following Mahagathbandhan government’s “masterstroke” of quota hike recently.

On the occasion, Lalu also recalled his close association with Karpoori Thakur and how his politics was shaped and nurtured by Thakur’s ideals. He also recalled how Karpoori Thakur died “in his lap” while being taken to a Patna hospital.

Karpoori Thakur was the first person to give voice to the under-priviledged, Lalu Prasad said, adding that the Mandal Commission had further taken up the cause of the backward sections of the society.

“It was only after sustained demand from my father Lalu Prasad, CM Nitish Kumar and me that the Centre was forced to confer Bharat Ratna on Karpoori Thakur. We welcome it but the move is borne out of electoral constraints of the BJP. They were perhaps intimidated by our decision to hike the quota,” Tejashwi said.