NewDelhi: Union Minister Giriraj Singh requesting the Bharat Ratna, which is the highest civilian award in India, for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Naveen Patnaik, the former Chief Minister of Odisha. The issue has sparked a political debate, particularly after Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)]’s letter to Prime Minister Narender Modi asking for a similar honour for Kumar.
The pitching of Bharat Ratna has initiated different reactions among political groups. The opposition party, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), mocked the proposal, asking who is stopping the government from giving the honour to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Reports from Hindustan Times have suggested that Giriraj Singh’s request is not being taken seriously by a lot of people because of his history as a major critic of Nitish Kumar. That being said, in recent days his attitude seems to have changed.
Singh elaborated, “Before Nitish Kumar took the oath of office, Bihar had a name for bad roads, broken schools, and structures. He has lifted Bihar to higher places. In the same way, Naveen Patnaik has dedicated many years of service to Odisha. Leaders of their calibre should be accorded the Bharat Ratna.”
This comment follows RJD’s allegations that BJP is in charge of Nitish Kumar. On December 24, the RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had accused the BJP of taking over the Chief Minister’s office, saying that many close aides of Kumar are in contact with BJP leadership.
Earlier this month, JD(U) Executive President Sanjay Jha had similarly called upon Prime Minister Modi to confer the Bharat Ratna on Nitish Kumar for his outstanding contribution in transforming the state into a dynamic and progressive one from being a failed state.
In reaction to Singh’s comments, RJD’s spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari raised doubts about the need for this request: “Who are they going to get this award from? The NDA is at the helm now. Why do they not ask for the Nobel Prize while they are at it? This whole show will go on till the elections, and then they will be in a situation comparable to what has happened to Andhra Pradesh.”
With political differences escalating due to the forthcoming elections in Bihar, discussions about the awards and recognition have been intertwined with party politics. BJP’s recent shift in relation to Nitish Kumar and the dispute over his receiving of national awards are indicative of the larger realities of Bihar’s political framework.
Comments are closed.