Patna, Jun 9 (PTI) JD(U)’s two-time Rajya Sabha MP, Ram Nath Thakur, the son of socialist icon and Bharat Ratna recipient Karpoori Thakur, is credited for carrying forward the movement initiated by Dr Ram Manohar Lohia, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan and Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur for empowering the underprivileged.
Thakur is a popular leader among the extremely backward and backward classes in Bihar. He comes from the ‘Nai’ (barber) community that forms around 1.60 per cent of population in the state.
The Nai community falls under the Extremely Backward Class (EBC) category, which constitutes more than 36 per cent of the state’s population.
He is considered close to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.Political observers believe that the previous NDA government’s decision to confer the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in India, upon the late Karpoori Thakur just before the notification of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections was a strong political statement.
It was considered as a synthesis of Mandir and Mandal politics.
Ram Nath Thakur, an EBC leader, was elected to Rajya Sabha as a JD(U) member in April 2014 and since then he has been a member of the Upper House.
Thakur is credited for carrying forward the movement initiated by Dr Ram Manohar Lohia, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan and Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur for empowering the underprivileged with a vision of an equitable society.
His father, popularly known as “Jan Nayak” by many in the state, Karpoori Thakur served as the Chief Minister of Bihar for a short while — from December 1970 to June 1971 and from December 1977 to April 1979.Talking to PTI Video in Delhi, Namita, the elder daughter of Ram Nath Thakur, thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for making her father a union minister.
“There is a festival-like atmosphere in the family today,” she said.
Ram Nath Thakur’s younger brother, Nityanand Thakur, told PT Video that it was a big thing for them.
“It can’t be expressed in words,” he said.He thanked the Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and PM Modi for making his brother, who is a very simple person, part of the union cabinet.
Meanwhile, Manshwi Chandra, granddaughter of Ram Nath Thakur, said, “I thank PM Modi and the CM for giving this chance to my grandfather. It is a big thing that is happening today”.
Ram Nath Thakur’s father, popularly known as “Jan Nayak” by many in the state, Karpoori Thakur, served as the chief minister of Bihar for a short while from December 1970 to June 1971 and from December 1977 to April 1979.
Karpoori Thakur was recently conferred with the nation’s highest civilian honour, Bharat Ratna (posthumously), by the President of India Droupadi Murmu. The award came almost 35 years after his death. Karpoori Thakur died on February 17, 1988. PTI PKD SBN SBN
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