A day after the Centre decided to confer Bharat Ratna on former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur, the native village of the socialist icon erupted in joy on Wednesday with a large number of people gathering outside his ancestral house and celebrating his 100th birth anniversary.
Villagers of the 'Karpoori gram' in Samastipur district met family members of Thakur and his elder son and JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP Ramnath Thakur.
On the occasion of the 100th birth anniversary of Thakur, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar garlanded a statue of the socialist icon on the Bihar Assembly premises on Wednesday. Several other leaders also paid tributes to him. Thakur was chosen for the country's highest civilian award Bharat Ratna on Tuesday. Talking to PTI on Wednesday, the JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP said, "After 36 years of the death of my father, the central government has decided to award him Bharat Ratna. I want to thank the Centre on behalf of my party, myself and the people in Bihar." Family members of the former Bihar chief minister termed the Centre's decision to award him Bharat Ratna posthumously as a "proud moment".
While talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function organised by the state government on the occasion of the centenary birth anniversary of Karpoori Thakur, Jagriti, granddaughter of the socialist icon, said, "It is a proud moment for all of us. It just cannot be expressed in words." "The respect and honour granted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to my late grandfather have not been given before. We are overwhelmed," she said.
Abhinav Vikas, grandson of Thakur, told reporters, "It is a matter of pride for everyone, especially those who come from the lower strata of the society. It was great news for all of us when we came to know about it on Tuesday".
He also said it is "an honour for all the poor and deprived and all those for whom my grandfather worked all his life". The state government has organised several events during the day to celebrate Thakur's legacy.
Commenting on the Centre's decision to confer Bharat Ratna on Thakur, senior JD (U) leader Neeraj Kumar said, "After repeated requests by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Bharat Ratna has been finally conferred on Jannayak Karpoori Thakur. Although it came late, it is a welcome decision and will inspire the youth to take up his ideals."
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