Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Bharat Ratna Karpuri Thakur’s birthplace in Bihar ahead of the state elections. The Congress criticized the visit, reminding that in 1979, the Jan Sangh, from which BJP later emerged, had toppled Karpuri Thakur’s government when he implemented OBC reservations.
The Congress alleged that Modi’s “double engine government” opposes 65% reservation for SC, ST, OBC, and EBC communities. Before addressing rallies in Samastipur and Begusarai, PM Modi paid tribute at Karpoorigram, highlighting that the NDA government had posthumously honored Thakur with the Bharat Ratna last year.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh questioned Modi, saying that Jan Sangh and RSS had harassed Karpuri Thakur and rejected demands for a caste census. He accused the BJP of hypocrisy for praising Thakur now while opposing similar social justice measures.
