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HT Archives: Socialist stalwart leaves behind unmatched legacy
Former Bihar CM Karpoori Thakur, a key socialist leader, died of a heart attack at 68. His passing led to statewide mourning and condolences from leaders.
Former Bihar chief minister and Lok Dal-B leader Karpoori Thakur, who was one of the inspirations behind the socialist movement in the country over the past four decades, died of a heart attack in Patna on February 17, 1988.
He was 68 and is survived by two sons and a daughter. His wife died a few years ago.
Thakur suffered a massive cardiac arrest at his house and died on the way to the hospital.
He had his usual morning stroll and dressed after his bath. As he was about to start for Pusa in Samastipur district, he felt a congestion in the throat and went to the bathroom where he collapsed. It was his second heart attack in over two years.
He was rushed to the Indira Gandhi Institute of Cardiology where doctors declared him dead at 9.15am.
Chief minister Bhagwat Jha Azad, who was to leave for Delhi to finalise the list of ministers, rushed to the institute to see him, but Thakur had died before that. Several of Azad’s colleagues and other opposition leaders also visited the hospital.
Thakur’s body was taken to his official residence and kept in State.
Governor P Venkatasubbaiah and Azad drove to Thakur’s residence, placed wreaths on the body and consoled members of the bereaved family. The national flag flew at half mast and the Bihar government declared State mourning for three days.
A pall of gloom descended on Bihar as news of Thakur’s death spread. He headed a coalition government in Bihar between 1970 and 1971, and the Janata Party regime between 1977 and 1979.
People from all walks of life started converging at his residence to pay their respect. As men and women filed past Thakur’s body, the mourners had to wait for hours and policemen had a tough time controlling the swelling crowds.
President R Venkataraman, vice-president Shankar Dayal Sharma and Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi condoled the death of the Socialist leader saying the country had lost a leader who had dedicated his life to the uplift of the weaker sections.
In a condolence message, Venkataraman said Thakur was a “devoted nationalist and a colleague in the freedom struggle”.
Sharma said Thakur spent his entire life working for the poor and the backward.
“Bihar and the country have lost a front-rank public leader,” said Gandhi.
BJP president LK Advani said Thakur’s demise had created a loss for his home state of Bihar that just could not be fulfilled. He devoted his entire life for the cause of the depressed and downtrodden.
BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee said Thakur was a “political warrior who fought against economic exploitation and social inequalities”.
In a statement, Lok Dal (B) president HN Bahuguna said “politics will be poorer without him. He was a great captain of freedom struggle and embodiment of socialist struggle in India and one who was deeply involved in the regeneration of India’s villages its downtrodden and the backward classes.”
The CPI(M) in a condolence message said Thakur had fought for the poor and downtrodden all his life and “made a mark in the political life of our country”.
The CPI said Thakur “sought to voice the aspirations of the downtrodden sections of society”.
Haryana chief ministerDevi Lal described Thakur as a “valiant crusader” who was “held in high esteem for his sterling qualities of head and heart”.
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