A day after Janata Dal (United) advisor and former Member of Parliament KC Tyagi wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding the Bharat Ratna for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the party distanced itself from the statement, saying it does not endorse the view.
In a letter to Modi, Tyagi sought the Bharat Ratna — India’s highest civilian award — for Nitish, saying there had been precedents of honouring living politicians and that the JD(U) chief deserved it as one of India’s “last socialist icons”. “It was because of your efforts that (former Bihar CM) Karpoori Thakur and (former PM) Choudhary Charan Singh got the Bharat Ratna for working for public welfare and organising farmers respectively,” the letter said.
It further said: “Overwhelmed by such efforts, we believe that the gem of socialist movement, Nitish Kumar, also deserves this honour. Since several living icons had been awarded with the honour, we request you to confer upon Bharat Ratna to our beloved leader Nitish Kumar so that history appreciates your gesture for a long time.”
The JD(U), however, disowned the letter, with party national spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad claiming that Tyagi was “hardly associated with party activities, so much so that one wonders if he is in the party or not”.
The party, however, has not taken any action against KC Tyagi, nor has it sought any clarification from him.
“Nitish Kumar has been working for Bihar. The party distances itself from his statement. Of late, he has made several statements in his personal capacity,” he said.
Tyagi too told The Indian Express that the opinion was in his “personal capacity”.
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“I’ve never claimed that it was the party’s stand. I have known Nitish Kumar for over five decades now and firmly believe that he, as last of [India’s] socialist icons, has worked towards social parity and women empowerment. I would reiterate that he deserves the highest civilian honour,” he said.
However, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) patron and Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi also followed suit, demanding Bharat Ratna for Nitish Kumar.
“Bharat Ratna Nitish Kumar ji… sounds lovely, doesn’t it? We’re absolutely confident that the honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi, known for surprising everyone with his decisions, will once again astonish us by awarding the Bharat Ratna to Bihar’s honourable Chief Minister NitishKumar,” he said on X.
