Karpoori Thakur
Encyclopedia
Karpoori Thakur was an India
n politician from the Bihar
state. He was popularly known as Jan Nayak (Hindi for "the people's leader"). He served as the Chief Minister of Bihar from December 1970 to June 1971 (Socialist Party
/Bharatiya Kranti Dal
), and from December 1977 to April 1979 (Janata Party
).
of British India. As a student activist, he left his graduate college to join the Quit India Movement
. For his participation in the Indian independence movement
, he spent 26 months in prison.
After India gained independence, Thakur worked as a teacher in his village's school. He became a member of the Bihar Vidhan Sabha
in 1952. He was arrested for leading P & T employees during the general strike of the Central Government employees in 1960. In 1970, he undertook a fast
unto death for 28 days to promote the cause of Telco labourers.
Thakur was a votary of Hindi
language, and as the education minister of Bihar, he removed English as the compulsory subject for the matriculation
curriculum. It is alleged that the Bihari students suffered due to the resulting low standards of English-medium education in the state. Thakur served as a minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar
, before becoming the first non-Congress
socialist Chief Minister of Bihar in 1970. He also enforced total prohibition of alcohol in Bihar. During his reign, many schools and colleges were established in his name in the backward areas of Bihar.
A socialist leader, Karpoori Thakur was close to Jaya Prakash Narayan. During the emergency in India (1975–77), he and other prominent leaders of Janata Party led the "Total Revolution" movement aimed at non-violent transformation of the Indian society. After the Janata Party came to power, he won the chief ministership battle from the then Bihar Janata Party
President
Satyendra Narayan Sinha to become the Bihar Chief Minister
for a second term in 1977. However he could not last his full term because he lost the leadership battle in 1979 from Ram Sundar Das
whom his adversaries placed against him and was replaced as chief minister. In 1979, Premlata Rai, a 35-year old schoolteacher from Kathmandu, accused Thakur of raping her while he was hiding in Nepal during the Emergency. She also complained that she was wrongfully confined when she visited Patna.
Thakur was known as the champion of the cause of the Dalit
s and the poor. Himself from a backward class
, he introduced reservation
for the backward classes in the Government jobs, in 1978.
Thakur served as the President of Samyukta Socialist Party
. He was a mentor to the prominent Bihari leaders such as Lalu Prasad Yadav
, Ram Vilas Paswan
, and Nitish Kumar
.
Karpoori Thakur's birthplace, Pitaunjhia, was renamed to Karpuri Gram (Hindi for "Karpuri village") after his death in 1988. The Jan Nayak Karpuri Thakur Vidhi Mahavidyalaya (Law College) in Buxar
is also named after him. The Department of Posts released a commemorative stamp
in his memory.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n politician from the Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
state. He was popularly known as Jan Nayak (Hindi for "the people's leader"). He served as the Chief Minister of Bihar from December 1970 to June 1971 (Socialist Party
Socialist Party (India)
Socialist Party has been the name of several political parties in India, all of which have their roots in the Congress Socialist Party formed during the freedom struggle...
/Bharatiya Kranti Dal
Bharatiya Kranti Dal
Bharatiya Kranti Dal was a political party in India, formed by the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Charan Singh. The party was founded at a meeting in Lucknow in October 1967. After the 1977 general election, the party merged into the Janata Party....
), and from December 1977 to April 1979 (Janata Party
Janata Party
The Janata Party was an amalgam of Indian political parties opposed to the state of emergency imposed by the government of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her Indian National Congress...
).
Biography
Karpoori Thakur, son of Gokul Thakur, was born in Pitaunjhia (now renamed to Karpuri Gram) village of the Samastipur DistrictSamastipur District
Samastipur is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar in India. The district headquarters are located at Samastipur. The district occupies an area of 2904 km² and has a population of 27,16,929 .- History :...
of British India. As a student activist, he left his graduate college to join the Quit India Movement
Quit India Movement
The Quit India Movement , or the August Movement was a civil disobedience movement launched in India in August 1942 in response to Mohandas Gandhi's call for immediate independence. Gandhi hoped to bring the British government to the negotiating table...
. For his participation in the Indian independence movement
Indian independence movement
The term Indian independence movement encompasses a wide area of political organisations, philosophies, and movements which had the common aim of ending first British East India Company rule, and then British imperial authority, in parts of South Asia...
, he spent 26 months in prison.
After India gained independence, Thakur worked as a teacher in his village's school. He became a member of the Bihar Vidhan Sabha
Vidhan Sabha
The Vidhan Sabha or the Legislative Assembly is the lower house or the sole house of the provincial legislature in the different states of India. The same name is also used for the lower house of the legislatures for two of the union territories, Delhi and Pondicherry...
in 1952. He was arrested for leading P & T employees during the general strike of the Central Government employees in 1960. In 1970, he undertook a fast
Fasting
Fasting is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time. An absolute fast is normally defined as abstinence from all food and liquid for a defined period, usually a single day , or several days. Other fasts may be only partially restrictive,...
unto death for 28 days to promote the cause of Telco labourers.
Thakur was a votary of Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
language, and as the education minister of Bihar, he removed English as the compulsory subject for the matriculation
Matriculation
Matriculation, in the broadest sense, means to be registered or added to a list, from the Latin matricula – little list. In Scottish heraldry, for instance, a matriculation is a registration of armorial bearings...
curriculum. It is alleged that the Bihari students suffered due to the resulting low standards of English-medium education in the state. Thakur served as a minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar
Deputy Chief Ministers of Bihar
- Deputy Chief Ministers of Bihar:...
, before becoming the first non-Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
socialist Chief Minister of Bihar in 1970. He also enforced total prohibition of alcohol in Bihar. During his reign, many schools and colleges were established in his name in the backward areas of Bihar.
A socialist leader, Karpoori Thakur was close to Jaya Prakash Narayan. During the emergency in India (1975–77), he and other prominent leaders of Janata Party led the "Total Revolution" movement aimed at non-violent transformation of the Indian society. After the Janata Party came to power, he won the chief ministership battle from the then Bihar Janata Party
Janata Party
The Janata Party was an amalgam of Indian political parties opposed to the state of emergency imposed by the government of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her Indian National Congress...
President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Satyendra Narayan Sinha to become the Bihar Chief Minister
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
for a second term in 1977. However he could not last his full term because he lost the leadership battle in 1979 from Ram Sundar Das
Ram Sundar Das
Ram Sundar Das is an Indian politician and a former Chief Minister of Bihar state. He is a leader of the Janata Dal political party. He was the Chief Minister of Bihar from 21 April, 1979 to 17 February, 1980. In 1991, he was elected to the 10th Lok Sabha from Hajipur constituency in Bihar...
whom his adversaries placed against him and was replaced as chief minister. In 1979, Premlata Rai, a 35-year old schoolteacher from Kathmandu, accused Thakur of raping her while he was hiding in Nepal during the Emergency. She also complained that she was wrongfully confined when she visited Patna.
Thakur was known as the champion of the cause of the Dalit
Dalit
Dalit is a designation for a group of people traditionally regarded as Untouchable. Dalits are a mixed population, consisting of numerous castes from all over South Asia; they speak a variety of languages and practice a multitude of religions...
s and the poor. Himself from a backward class
Other Backward Class
The Central Government of India classifies some of its citizens based on their social and economic condition as Scheduled Caste , Scheduled Tribe , and Other Backward Class . The OBC list presented by the commission is dynamic and will change from time to time depending on social, educational and...
, he introduced reservation
Reservation in India
Reservation in India is a form of affirmative action designed to improve the well being of socially backward and underrepresented communities of citizens in India. There are laws in place, wherein a certain percentage of total available slots in Jobs and Education are set aside for people from...
for the backward classes in the Government jobs, in 1978.
Thakur served as the President of Samyukta Socialist Party
Samyukta Socialist Party
Samyukta Socialist Party , was a political party in India from 1964 to 1972. SSP was formed through a split in the Praja Socialist Party in 1964. In 1972 SSP was reunited with PSP, forming the Socialist Party....
. He was a mentor to the prominent Bihari leaders such as Lalu Prasad Yadav
Lalu Prasad Yadav
Lalu Prasad Yadav is an Indian politician from Bihar. He was the Minister of Railways from 2004 to 2009 in the ruling United Progressive Alliance government, and the President of the Rashtriya Janata Dal political party...
, Ram Vilas Paswan
Ram Vilas Paswan
Ram Vilas Paswan is the president of the Lok Janshakti Party and a Rajya Sabha MP.-Early life and education:Paswan was born to a Dusadh family...
, and Nitish Kumar
Nitish Kumar
Nitish Kumār is an Indian politician currently serving as Chief Minister of Bihar, an eastern state of India. He leads the Janata Dal party...
.
Karpoori Thakur's birthplace, Pitaunjhia, was renamed to Karpuri Gram (Hindi for "Karpuri village") after his death in 1988. The Jan Nayak Karpuri Thakur Vidhi Mahavidyalaya (Law College) in Buxar
Buxar
Buxar district is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar state, India. The district headquarters are located at Buxar.-Mythology:This place was also known as "Siddhashram", "Vedgarbhapuri", "Karush", "Tapovan", "Chaitrath", "VyaghraSar", "Buxar" in ancient history. The History of Buxar dates...
is also named after him. The Department of Posts released a commemorative stamp
Commemorative stamp
A commemorative stamp is a postage stamp, often issued on a significant date such as an anniversary, to honor or commemorate a place, event or person. The subject of the commemorative stamp is usually spelled out in print, unlike definitive stamps which normally depict the subject along with the...
in his memory.