Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday took a swipe at PM Modi, saying the latter might claim “full credit” for conferring Bharat Ratna on socialist leader Karpoori Thakur.
Kumar underscored his relentless demands for the highest civilian award for Thakur at a rally organised by the JD(U) on the birth centenary of the former Bihar chief minister.
The Bihar CM said, “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.
The JD(U) chief also said he "never tried to promote" any of his family members since he drew inspiration from late Karpoori Thakur who was known for probity in public life.
“It was also Karpoori Thakur who inspired our commitment to the cause of Other Backward Classes and Extremely Backward Classes. The caste survey, which we conducted and followed it up with many other welfare measures for the deprived sections, should be implemented across the country,” Kumar told the rally.
Nitish taunts Centre for 'not acknowledging' his efforts
Kumar thanked the Narendra Modi government for conferring Bharat Ratna on his political mentor Karpoori Thakur but taunted the ruling dispensation at the Centre for not acknowledging that the move followed his "relentless demands".
He 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 of extremely backward classes.
Kumar disclosed that before attending the rally, he had visited Karpoori Thakur's ancestral village in Samastipur as he "has been doing for so many years on his birth anniversary", where met the late leader's family members, including son Ramnath Thakur, the JD(U)'s national general secretary and leader in the Rajya Sabha, who was present on the dais.
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