Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar praised former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur, calling him a "messiah of social justice" for his efforts to uplift the poor and marginalised. Dhankhar spoke during a ceremony marking Thakur's 101st birth anniversary at Karpoori Gram in Samastipur, Bihar.
“Karpoori Thakur was a true leader who stood for equality, brotherhood, and justice. He dedicated his life to helping the downtrodden,” Dhankhar said.
Thakur, who passed away in 1988, was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna last year. “He was a statesman and a pioneer of social justice in India. The Bharat Ratna award reflects his lifelong efforts for the marginalised and his work to promote equality and empowerment,” the Vice President added.
Highlighting Thakur’s time as Bihar’s Chief Minister, Dhankhar noted his focus on education. “He made education accessible to marginalised groups and removed English as a mandatory subject in matriculation exams. His efforts laid the foundation for reservations for socially disadvantaged communities,” he said.
Dhankhar also participated in several events to honour Thakur. He planted trees at Gokhul Karpoori Phuleshwari Degree College and paid tribute to Thakur’s statue at Smriti Bhavan in Karpoori Gram.
Earlier, the Vice President was welcomed in Patna by Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary before travelling to Samastipur. Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also attended the event and was warmly received by local leaders.
Karpoori Thakur, affectionately known as "Jan Nayak" (People’s Leader), served as Bihar’s Chief Minister twice — briefly in 1970 and again from 1977 to 1979. He was the first non-Congress socialist leader to hold this position and remains a symbol of social justice in Indian politics.
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