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Panthers Party founder Bhim Singh passes away in Jammu
The veteran leader was affectionately called ‘Sher-e-Jammu’ for raising the voice of the people of Jammu before the successive Kashmir-centric governments
Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party founder Prof Bhim Singh died in Jammu on Tuesday after a prolonged illness. He was 82.
“Prof Bhim Singh was brought dead at the hospital around 8.45am,” said a GMCH official.
The veteran leader was affectionately called ‘Sher-e-Jammu’ for raising the voice of the people of Jammu before the successive Kashmir-centric governments. He is survived by his wife and son.
Condoling the demise, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Prof Bhim would be remembered as a grassroots leader who devoted his life for the welfare of J&K. “He was very well-read and scholarly. I will always recall my interactions with him. Saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters,” Modi wrote on Twitter.
In November 2020, he was expelled from the party he had founded for taking part in a meeting of the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) at the Bhatindi residence of former chief minister Farooq Abdullah.
Panthers Party, it may be recalled here, suffered a major setback in recent times after its chairperson and former education minister Harsh Dev Singh besides former MLAs Balwant Singh Mankotia and Yash Paul Kundal quit the party and joined the AAP.
Prof Bhim had raised the Panthers Party in 1982.
His mortal remains were kept at the party office in Gandhi Nagar for the public to pay their last respects.
Congress leaders, including AICC J&K affairs incharge and Rajya Sabha member Rajni Patil, working president Raman Bhalla, and chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma, paid floral tributes to the late leader.
Patil described Prof Bhim as a great leader who rendered great services to the nation and common people.
J&KPCC chief GA Mir also visited his residence and shared the grief of the family and his followers.
