Kanshi Ram sacrificed everything to bring Bahujans out of slavery: Mayawati

Lucknow: BSP chief Mayawati on Monday paid tributes to party founder Kanshi Ram on his death anniversary, saying he sacrificed everything to bring the 'Bahujan samaj' out of slavery and help its people stand on their own feet.

In a series of posts on X in Hindi, Mayawati said it was due to Kanshi Ram's struggle that the BSP came to power in Uttar Pradesh four times.

1. बामसेफ, डीएस-4 एवं बहुजन समाज पार्टी के संघर्ष से जुड़े देश भर में उनके अपार अनुयाईयों को, परमपूज्य बाबा साहेब डा. भीमराव अम्बेडकर के आत्म-सम्मान व स्वाभिमान मूवमेन्ट को जीवित रखने वाले, मान्यवर श्री कांशीराम जी की आज पुण्यतिथि पर उनको शत्-शत् नमन व अपार श्रद्धा-सुमन अर्पित।

— Mayawati (@Mayawati) October 9, 2023

"... tributes to respected Kanshi Ram ji today on his death anniversary, (the one) who kept the self-respect movement of Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar alive," the BSP chief said.

He sacrificed everything to bring the 'Bahujan samaj' out of slavery. Due to his struggle, the BSP formed the government in Uttar Pradesh four times and a strong foundation of social change and economic liberation was laid, she said.

BSP people across the country remember the "Bahujan hero" and the party will fulfil Kanshi Ram's mission, for which the struggle continues, she added.

Born in Punjab's Rupnagar on March 15, 1934, Kanshi Ram worked for the upliftment and political mobilisation of backward classes. He founded Dalit Shoshit Samaj Sangharsh Samiti (DS-4), All India Backwards (SC/ST/OBC) and Minorities Communities Employees' Federation (BAMCEF) in 1971 and the BSP in 1984.

He died on October 9, 2006 in Delhi.

Kanshi Ram was the Lok Sabha MP from Hoshiarpur in Punjab from 1996 to 1998, and from Etawah in Uttar Pradesh from 1991 to 1996. He was also a Rajya Sabha member from 1998 to 2004.