In a pointed critique on the 102nd birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur, Bihar Agriculture Minister Ramkripal Yadav accused the RJD leadership of hypocrisy. ‘Lalu Yadav and his party are the very people crushing Jananayak Karpoori Thakur’s noble thoughts,’ he declared sharply from Patna.
The controversy erupted as RJD marked the occasion at its Patna office with Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav leading the tributes. Floral offerings and speeches filled the air, but Yadav dismissed it as mere posturing. Recalling history, he noted Lalu’s role in installing Thakur as Chief Minister, only to claim that today’s RJD has abandoned those foundational ideals.
‘Thakur must be anguished wherever he is,’ the minister emoted, challenging RJD’s right to host such events. He emphasized that true homage lies in adopting Thakur’s lifelong advocacy for the downtrodden, not in symbolic gestures amid what he sees as ideological betrayal.
RJD’s program featured prominent figures like Abdul Wari Siddiqui and state chief Mangni Lal Mandal, with workers reminiscing Thakur’s contributions to social equity and backward caste empowerment. The party rolled out district-wide events, positioning itself as a custodian of Thakur’s vision.
Yadav countered by calling for authentic introspection across Bihar’s political spectrum. Provinceside observances of the jayanti serve as a reminder of Thakur’s transformative policies, from reservation reforms to grassroots development. This public spat reveals simmering tensions in Bihar’s polarized politics, where invoking icons like Thakur becomes a battleground for legitimacy.
As the state pauses to honor a champion of equality, Ramkripal’s broadside invites scrutiny of how far contemporary leaders measure up to Thakur’s uncompromising stand for justice.