Kanshi Ram

:"For the Indian independence activists of the Congress party and the Ghadar Party, see Baba Kanshi Ram and Pandit Kanshi Ram respectively".

Kanshi Ram (Hindi: कांशी राम) (March 15 1934 – October 9 2006) was an Indian politician of Dalit Ravidasia Sikh background. He founded the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), a political party with the stated goal of serving the traditionally lower castes of Indian society (that historically also included untouchables). He shared the BSP's leadership with Mayawati. Their leadership brought the party to power in India's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh in 1995, at which point Mayawati became the state's chief minister.

Early Life and Politics

Kanshi Ram was born to Bishan Kaur and Hari Singh at Khawapur village in Ropar district of Punjab.After completing his Bachelor's degree in Science (B.Sc) from the Government College at Ropar affiliated to The Panjab University he joined the offices of Defense Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), in Khadki, through a reserved quota for Scheduled Caste. Kanshi Ram was born in cobbler caste which is included in the GOI SC list.

During his tenure in the Defense Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) in 1965 he joined the agitation started by Scheduled Caste Employees of Government of India to prevent the abolition of a holiday commemorating Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's birthday.

In 1978 he formed the, BAMCEF-Backward(SC/ST & OBC) and Minority Community Employees Federation. The BAMCEF was purely non political,Non Religious & Non Agitional organisation. Later on he formed another Social organisation known as DS4.He started his attempt of unifying the Dalit vote bank in 1981 and by 1984 he founded the Bahujan Samaj Party.

He represented the 11th Lok Sabha from Hoshiarpur Constituency , Kanshiram was also elected as member of lok sabha from ETAWAH (UP) . In 2001 he publicly announced Kumari Mayawati as his successor.

Last Days

In about 2004, Kanshi Ram began attempting recovery from health problems and did not appear publicly after that. He convalesced at the home of Mayawati, and members of his family claimed that she was essentially holding him captive in order to control the BSP. On April 8, 2005, the Supreme Court of India ordered a team of doctors to examine his physical and mental condition. [http://www.ndtv.com/morenews/showmorestory.asp?slug=AIIMS+doctors+asked+to+examine+Kanshi+Ram&id=71193]

On October 9, 2006, he died of a severe heart attack in New Delhi. Ram, who suffered from multiple ailments such as stroke, diabetes and hypertension, was virtually bed-ridden for more than two years.

Author

As an author Kanshiram wrote two books
* "Introduction To of BAMCEF"
* "An Era of the Stooges" (Chamcha Age) [http://ambedkar.org/research/The_Chamcha_Age.htm]
* "New Hope"

External links

* [http://www.ambedkar.org/books/tu5.htm Kanshi Ram: from BAMCEF to the Bahujana Samaj Party]
* [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20041210/cth1.htm Yatra planned to free Kanshi Ram] , Tribune, Dec. 10, 2004.
* [http://parliamentofindia.nic.in/ls/lok11/biodata/11pn06.htm Profile on Parliament of India]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6032563.stm BBC News - Indian Dalit leader passes away]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6034823.stm BBC News - Kanshi Ram: Champion of the poor]