New Delhi, March 15 (UNI) Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday paid tribute to Bahujan movement leader Kanshi Ram on his birth anniversary, remembering him as a champion of social justice and a strong voice for Dalits and other marginalised communities.
In a post on the social media platform X, Gandhi said Kanshi Ram’s life and ideas played a crucial role in advancing the constitutional principles of equality and justice.
“Salutations and respectful tribute on the birth anniversary of Shri Kanshi Ram Ji, the champion of the ideology of social justice and a powerful voice for Dalits, the marginalised, and the oppressed,” she wrote. “Through his ideas and movements, Kanshi Ram Ji elevated the constitutional principles of equality and justice to new heights. His thoughts will continue to inspire us all forever.”
Kanshi Ram, born in 1934 in Punjab, was one of the most influential leaders of the Dalit movement in post-independence India. He founded the Bahujan Samaj Party and worked to mobilise marginalised communities under the broader “Bahujan” identity, advocating greater political representation and social empowerment for historically disadvantaged groups.
He also established organisations such as the Backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation (BAMCEF) and later the Dalit Shoshit Samaj Sangharsh Samiti (DS-4), which laid the groundwork for a broader socio-political movement among Dalits, backward classes, and minorities.
Kanshi Ram’s efforts significantly shaped the trajectory of Dalit politics in northern India and paved the way for leaders like Mayawati, who later became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. His birth anniversary is commemorated by supporters and political leaders across the country as a reminder of his contribution to social justice and political empowerment.
