Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Congress MP and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Sunday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding that the Bharat Ratna be conferred posthumously on Bahujan Samaj Party founder Kanshi Ram.In a post on X, he wrote, “I demand that the Government of India honor the great warrior of social justice and the guiding light of Bahujan consciousness, the esteemed Shri Kanshi Ram Ji, with the Bharat Ratna. This highest national honor will be a tribute to Shri Kanshi Ram Ji and the entire movement that showed millions of Bahujans the path to rights, participation, and self-respect.”In his letter to PM Modi, Gandhi highlighted Kanshi Ram’s transformative role in Indian politics. He also pointed out that calls from Dalit intellectuals and leaders for the Bharat Ratna have been consistent and deeply felt.“Recently, I attended a programme in Lucknow where this demand was reiterated strongly by the leaders and participants present, reflecting a widespread sentiment. Conferring the Bharat Ratna on him posthumously would recognise his immense contribution to our nation. It would honour the aspirations of millions of people who continue to view him as a symbol of empowerment and hope.”
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Earlier Congress leader paid tribute to Kanshi Ram on his birth anniversary. In a post on X, he wrote: “On the birth anniversary of the Bahujan hero, the respected Manyavar Kanshi Ram Ji, I pay my humble respects. His tireless struggle and dedication for the rights of the poor, Dalits, and the deprived is an inspiration for all of us.”Kanshi Ram founded BSP in 1984 with the aim of uniting Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes and religious minorities into a formidable political force. He dedicated his life to the upliftment and empowerment of the marginalised and to carrying forward the ideas of Dr BR Ambedkar.BSP chief Mayawati paying tributes to the founder in a post on X wrote, “On the occasion of the birth anniversary of the founder and architect of the Bahujan Samaj Party (B.S.P.), the revered Shri Kanshi Ram Ji, I, along with my leadership, offer a hundred salutations and boundless tributes of reverence from his followers across Uttar Pradesh and the entire country.”Yesterday, Mayawati questioned the Congress over its proposal to confer the Bharat Ratna on BSP founder Kanshi Ram if it comes to power at the Centre, pointing out that the party never honoured BR Ambedkar while in power. In a post on X, she wrote: “The Congress never gave due honour to Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar — the messiah of Dalits and the principal architect of the Constitution — nor did they ever confer upon him the title of Bharat Ratna… How can the same party now honour Kanshi Ram,” she said in her post.”
