Tributes paid to Babu Jagjivan Ram on occasion of 29th death anniversary

NEW DELHI: Rich tributes were paid to the former deputy Prime Minister Babu Jagjivan Ram on the occasion of his 29th death anniversary today.

While Vice President Hamid Ansari paid floral tributes at the leader's samadhi at Samta Sthal here, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh paid tributes at Babu Jagjivan Ram Smriti Sansthan.

Several leaders including former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Babu Jagjivan Ram's daughter and former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawar Chand Gehlot and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi also paid their tributes.

A prominent Dalit leader, Babu Jagjivan Ram was a freedom fighter and national leader who fought for the upliftment of the downtrodden, a press release said.

He was a cabinet minister for 35 years and held several key portfolios, bringing about path-breaking reforms.

As Food and Agriculture Minister, he is credited for the Green Revolution, and as Defence Minister, he led India to victory in the historic 1971 war against Pakistan which saw the birth of Bangladesh, the release said.