Bengaluru, Jan 24 (PTI) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Sivakumar on Wednesday demanded that Bharat Ratna should be conferred on former Chief Minister late D Devaraj Urs who was the voice of the downtrodden communities in the state.

Welcoming the decision to award Bharat Ratna posthumously to former Bihar Chief Minister Karpuri Thakur, he also expressed his opinion that Devaraj Urs should also be given the same award.

Also Read | Germany’s Train Services Halted in Longest Strike Yet.

"The Kannadigas demand that D Devaraj Urs be awarded the Bharat Ratna as he made an immense contribution to the welfare of the Dalits in Karnataka. The Centre should consider the demand," he said in a statement.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)