Patna, Oct 24 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday visited Karpoori Gram, the birthplace of Bharat Ratna Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur, and paid floral tributes to the late leader.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar accompanied the Prime Minister during the visit.

Both leaders garlanded Karpoori Thakur’s statue and visited the Karpoori Thakur Library, where they viewed a collection of rare photographs depicting key moments from the former Chief Minister’s life — from his participation in the freedom struggle and resistance during the Emergency to his two tenures as Bihar’s Chief Minister.

The Prime Minister also interacted with Karpoori Thakur’s family members and folk artists from the region, posing for photos and appreciating their performances.

Villagers of Karpoori Gram gave a warm and enthusiastic welcome to the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister.

Karpoori Thakur, a two-time Chief Minister of Bihar, hailed from a marginalised community and is remembered for his simplicity, integrity, and commitment to social justice.

He played a crucial role during the Emergency and worked alongside Jayaprakash Narayan in leading the democratic movement against the Indira Gandhi government.

After his visit to Karpoori Gram, PM Modi addressed a public rally, calling it a memorable and emotional day.

“Today is a very important day in my life. Before coming here, I went to Karpoori Gram, where I had the opportunity to pay my respects to Bharat Ratna Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur. It is his blessings that people like us, who come from backward and poor families, are standing on this platform today,” the Prime Minister said.

Praising Thakur’s lifelong efforts for the marginalised, PM Modi said, “Bharat Ratna Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur played a very significant role in bringing social justice to independent India and connecting the poor and underprivileged with new opportunities. Our government had the honour of awarding him the Bharat Ratna — a moment of great pride for all of us. He remains a source of inspiration for our government.”

Reiterating his government’s focus on inclusive development, PM Modi said, “We have worked with the resolve to empower the poor, Dalits, Mahadalits, backward and extremely backward classes. Our government provided 10 per cent reservation for the economically weaker sections of the general category and extended the reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for another 10 years.”

The Prime Minister’s visit to Karpoori Gram comes amid the ongoing campaign for the Bihar Assembly Election 2025, highlighting the NDA’s emphasis on social justice and empowerment, narratives rooted in Karpoori Thakur’s legacy.

–IANS

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