Bihar deputy chief minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday papered over the division between the RJD and the JD(U) over the Centre's decision to confer Bharat Ratna for former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur and said it's now not important whether this decision was taken right before the Lok Sabha elections or not. "What is important is that our demand has been fulfilled...we have been demanding this for a long time. We are really happy that our former CM has been awarded with Bharat Ratna. Its impact will also be seen politically. The government of India was forced to take this decision after we conducted the caste census," Tejashwi said.
Tejashwi shared his old speeches in which he was seen demanding Bharat Ratna for Karpoori Thakur.
Lalu Prasad on Tuesday said Karpoori Thakur should have received Bharat Ratna long ago.
Chief minister Nitish Kumar -- on a different note from RJD and the Congress -- thanked PM Modi for the posthumous honour on Karpoori Thakur.
RJD MP Manoj Jha said awarding Karpoori Thakur with Bharat Ratna is a very welcome step, but the background needs to be known. "Karpoori Thakur was Laluji's ideological guru. Nitish Kumar was very close to him. We conducted caste census and then increased the scope of reservation, this should be included in this ninth list, otherwise, this Bharat Ratna will seem symbolic," Manoj Jha said.
{{/usCountry}}RJD MP Manoj Jha said awarding Karpoori Thakur with Bharat Ratna is a very welcome step, but the background needs to be known. "Karpoori Thakur was Laluji's ideological guru. Nitish Kumar was very close to him. We conducted caste census and then increased the scope of reservation, this should be included in this ninth list, otherwise, this Bharat Ratna will seem symbolic," Manoj Jha said.
{{/usCountry}}The Congress on Wednesday welcomed the Bharat Ratna for Karpoori Thakur but Rahul Gandhi added that the country needs real justice and not symbolic politics.
"The BJP government's concealment of the results of the Social and Economic Caste Census conducted in 2011 and their indifference towards a nationwide census is an attempt to weaken the movement for social justice," Rahul Gandhi tweeted.
'Desperation, hypocrisy'
In its statement, the Congress said it welcomes the decision but it also reflects the Modi government's desperation and hypocrisy. "Rahul Gandhi has been consistently advocating this but the Modi Government has all along refused to release the results of the Socio Economic Caste Census 2011 and also refused to commit itself to conduct an updated nation-wide caste census which will be the most appropriate tribute to Jannayak Karpoori Thakurji," a statement by Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said.