Patna, January 24: Bihar is commemorating the 102nd birth anniversary of former Chief Minister and Bharat Ratna recipient Jananayak Karpoori Thakur with great reverence. Amid the celebrations, Bihar’s Agriculture Minister Ramkripal Yadav launched a scathing attack on the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), accusing its leaders, particularly party chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, of trampling upon the visionary ideals of the late leader.
Speaking to reporters, Yadav highlighted the irony of the situation. He pointed out that it was Lalu Prasad himself who had propelled Karpoori Thakur to the Chief Minister’s position in the past. Yet today, he alleged, RJD members are the ones distorting and crushing Thakur’s principles of social justice and upliftment of backward classes.
The minister’s remarks came hours after RJD observed Thakur’s jayanti at its party office in Patna, where Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav paid floral tributes to a portrait of the socialist icon. Ramkripal Yadav questioned the sincerity of such events, stating, ‘The entire state is honoring Jananayak today. If RJD truly imbibed even a fraction of his virtues during his lifetime, that would be a true tribute.’
He further remarked that wherever Karpoori Thakur’s soul resides, it must be pained by the current actions of those claiming to celebrate his legacy. Yadav urged political workers across Bihar to reflect deeply on Thakur’s lifelong commitment to equality and empowerment of the marginalized.
Meanwhile, at the RJD headquarters, the event drew senior leaders including Abdul Bari Siddiqui and state president Mangni Lal Mandal, along with hundreds of party workers. Speakers eulogized Thakur’s pivotal role in advancing backward class welfare and building an equitable society. RJD has organized similar programs across all districts of Bihar, underscoring the party’s alignment with Thakur’s enduring legacy.
This exchange underscores deepening political fault lines in Bihar, where legacies of towering figures like Karpoori Thakur continue to fuel contemporary debates on social justice and governance. As celebrations continue statewide, the controversy highlights how interpretations of history shape present-day alliances and rivalries.