Sitamarhi MP Devesh Chandra Thakur donates one-year basic salary to armed forces

File photo of JD(U) leader Devesh Chandra Thakur.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Amid the tension between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack and retaliatory military strikes, Janata Dal (United) leader and Sitamarhi MP Devesh Chandra Thakur on Friday (May 9, 2025) announced he would donate his one-year basic salary to the armed forces through the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF).

He made the announcement while briefing the media in his parliamentary constituency Sitamarhi.

While speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Thakur said the armed forces are continuously engaged in protecting the country and as an Indian citizen, he also decided to make a contribution by donating his one year basic salary, which is around ₹15 lakh.

“I have donated my basic salary for the people of the defence services, be it the Army, Navy and Air Force for their great courage. Our Indian armed forces are standing like a rock with Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the protection of the country,” Mr. Thakur said.

He added, “I represent the land of Goddess Sita and [feel] fortunate that the people of Sitamarhi have elected me to the Lok Sabha. I am about to complete one year as a member of the Lok Sabha. We get ₹1.25 lakh [per month] as basic salary, so I decided to donate my complete one-year basic salary to PMNRF.”

Asked about motivating others to come forward and do similar service to the nation, Mr. Thakur said: “There are many people who want to contribute to the nation in whatever manner they are capable of. I am sure that in days to come many more people will do the similar thing that I have done today. People will not hesitate to donate for the armed forces who are protecting us and our family. Every Indian is standing with Modiji.”

He also praised the name Operation Sindoor saying that it was an appropriate name chosen by Mr. Modi to pay tribute to the martyrs and the women whose sindoor (vermilion) were removed on the day of the terror attack in Pahalgam.

The JD(U) leader also slammed Congress leader Udit Raj’s statement of criticising the title of Operation Sindoor for its religious undertones and suggested that different names could have been chosen.

“What has happened in Pahalgam? Didn’t the terrorists ask the tourists whether they were Hindu or not? What was that? I want to ask such people, was the act secularism, after asking their religion, the tourists were killed. Those who are speaking such things should be punished,” Mr. Thakur said.

He also asserted that Mr. Modi has done great work by selecting two women officers Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Army and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh from the Indian Air Force to brief the media about Operation Sindoor in New Delhi on May 7.

Meanwhile, Dr. Sunil Kumar, Bihar’s Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department planted a sapling of vermilion in the premises of Thawe temple in Gopalganj district.