The award, coming a day before the birth centenary of a leader whose legacy on affirmative action continues to reverberate in Bihar and among backward classes, was seen as a major outreach by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) just months ahead of general elections, where caste is tipped to play a major role in shaping the narrative.
Popularly known as Jan Nayak (people's hero) who mentored a generation of leaders in India's heartland, Thakur became the 49th person to attain the honour and the 15th to receive it posthumously.
"I am delighted that the government of India has decided to confer the Bharat Ratna on the beacon of social justice, the great Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur ji and that too at a time when we are marking his birth centenary. This prestigious recognition is a testament to his enduring efforts as a champion for the marginalised and a stalwart of equality and empowerment," Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X.
"His unwavering commitment to uplift the downtrodden and his visionary leadership have left an indelible mark on India's socio-political fabric. This award not only honours his remarkable contributions but also inspires us to continue his mission of creating a more just and equitable society."
The Bharat Ratna was announced after five years. In 2019, former President Pranab Mukherjee, Jana Sangh stalwart Nanaji Deshmukh, and artiste Bhupen Hazarika won the award.
Bihar chief minister Nitish welcomed Kumar the announcement but pointed out that it was a long-pending demand by his Janata Dal (United).
Esta historia es de la edición January 24, 2024 de Hindustan Times.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición January 24, 2024 de Hindustan Times.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Bitcoin Bonanza? Don't Overlook Tax And Reporting
Bitcoin has surpassed its all-time high each day for the past week. On Wednesday, the token's price peaked at about $89,828, a 112% year-to-date surge.
Mahayuti to pick CM after polls through a democratic process'
The Mahayuti is headed towards a strong showing in the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections and the winning lawmakers will sit together and take a decision on the chief minister's position in a democratic process, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said on Wednesday.
Top court cracks down on bulldozer justice by states
Describing a house as \"an embodiment of the collective hopes of a family or individuals' stability and security\", the Supreme Court on Wednesday laid down nationwide guidelines to curb arbitrary demolitions by state authorities, marking a significant moment in the battle against what has come to be known as \"bulldozer justice\"-- the practice of razing the properties of people accused of crimes, and, sometimes, of their families, often using earthmovers or bulldozers, without following due process.
Batting time: Preparations in lockdown mode for India
All-out attack failed against New Zealand, and Aussie opener Usman Khawaja seems to have a point
Number of crorepati taxpayers surges 323% in 10 yrs
The number of taxpayers with 1 crore plus gross annual income surged 323% to 350,129 in 2023-24 from 82,836 in 2013-14 while the number of income-tax assesses saw a 120% jump in last one decade to 79,212,146, signifying the government's policy nudge to deepen and widen the tax base while shielding the middle class, according government officials aware of the matter.
WHOLESALE PV SALES SLOW IN OCTOBER DESPITE FESTIVE DEMAND
India's wholesale passenger vehicle sales grew marginally year-on-year to 393,000 units in October despite two major festivals celebrated during the month.
Fox News host picked as US def chief
President-elect Donald Trump has said that the new secretary of defence Pete Hegseth is a true believer in America First approach
Biden meets Trump, promises smooth transition of power
Donald Trump left White House on January 20, 2021, as a bitter man angry at the 2020 election results that he continued to reject, as an isolated man whose own party sought to distance itself from Trump after the mob insurrection on US Capitol, as a politician whose political obituary was being widely written in Washington DC and beyond, and as a president who had broken the tradition of peaceful transfer of power.
COP29: Developing nations start work on new climate finance text
After developing countries rejected the first draft on the new collective quantified goal (NCQG), on Tuesday, co-chairs of the programme on NCQG at the COP 29 climate talks in Baku released another iteration, on Wednesday morning that runs into 34 pages.
Cautious rebuilding of Delhi-Kabul ties
The Taliban's appointment of a consul for the Afghan mission in Mumbai appears to be part of a nascent and cautious process of engagement between the two sides.
