Messiah of the oppressed bids farewell

NEW DELHI: Kanshi Ram’s death has evoked an outpouring of tributes from the political class cutting across party lines, indicating his popularity as the leader of Dalit mobilisation. Senior leaders, including prime minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and opposition leader LK Advani paid their respects to Kanshi Ram at his residence in the capital.

The prime minister drove to 11 Humayun Road, the residence of BSP chief Mayawati, and placed a wreath on Kanshi Ram’s body before leaving on a visit to Europe. In a message, the PM said that Kanshi Ram was an important voice of the Dalits.

Ms Gandhi who was accompanied by son Rahul and Union home minister Shivraj Patil spent some time at Ms Mayawati’s residence. She expressed her condolence in a letter to Ms Mayawati, in which she described Kanshi Ram as a public figure who had changed the course of Indian politics in the last three decades. Expressing her deep and heart-felt sympathy to Ms Mayawati and crores of Kanshi Ram supporters, Ms Gandhi said his struggle for the cause of Dalits formed an important chapter in political history.

With the assembly elections to UP coming up early next year, it was not just the Congress which took the opportunity to show solidarity with the Dalits. Mr Advani, whose BJP ran a short-lived government together with the BSP in UP, recalled his first meeting with Kanshi Ram and noted he was an “original thinker and a complete political organiser”.

He added that Kanshi Ram was instrumental in making the BSP a national party. Union chemical and fertilisers minister Ramvilas Paswan, who did not share a cordial relationship with the BSP leadership, called the departed leader a ‘Dalit messiah.’ Railway Minister Lalu Prasad said the country had lost a great leader who inspired Dalits to lead a respectful life.

Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee spoke to Ms Mayawati over the phone and expressed his condolences. Another former prime minister VP Singh also paid his last respects to Kanshi Ram. In his message, BJP chief Rajnath Singh credited the late BSP leader with bringing Dalits to power in Uttar Pradesh. BJP leaders Arun Jaitely, Kalraj Mishra and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and JD(U) leader George Fernandes were among the other prominent leaders who were seen at 11 Humayun Road.

President APJ Abdul Kalam, Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee, Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi, AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi were among the other leaders who expressed grief over the BSP founder’s demise.