E-Paper
Kanshi Ram, MSY amalgamated ‘Lohiaism’ & ‘Ambedkarism’: Akhilesh
The statement was made as the SP observed the 17th death anniversary of Kanshi Ram. The party will observe Mulayam’s first death anniversary on Tuesday.
LUCKNOW Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav, invoking the names of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) founder Kanshi Ram and SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav in the same breath on Monday, said that these two stalwart leaders successfully combined ‘Lohiaism’ and ‘Ambedkarism,’ bringing about a change in power in Uttar Pradesh through their experiment.
The statement was made as the SP observed the 17th death anniversary of Kanshi Ram. The party will observe Mulayam’s first death anniversary on Tuesday. Akhilesh’s reference was to the 1993 experiment of the SP and the BSP coming together in a pre-poll alliance and keeping the BJP out of power as Mulayam Singh Yadav became the chief minister for the second time.
Speaking at a ceremony held in Saifai, Etawah, Akhilesh Yadav said, “Kanshi Ram played a pivotal role in instilling self-respect and political awareness among Dalits, positioning the Bahujan Samaj prominently in the political landscape.” Similar tributes were paid to Kanshi Ram at ceremonies conducted across all SP offices throughout the state.
In Lucknow, the SP’s state headquarters hosted a ceremony, attended by state president Naresh Uttam Patel, national secretary Rajendra Chaudhary, Samajwadi Ambedkar Vahini chief Mithai Lal Bharati, Samajwadi Scheduled Castes wing chief Rahul Bharati, along with numerous other leaders and party members, all paying their respects to Kanshi Ram.
The speakers at these events highlighted the collaborative efforts of Kanshi Ram and Mulayam Singh Yadav in striving for social justice, fostering unity among the OBCs and Dalits. They also pledged to secure victory for the ‘PDA (pichada, Dalits, alpsankhyak -- backwards, Dalits, and minorities)’ in the upcoming 2024 elections, aiming to displace the BJP from power.
Under the leadership of Akhilesh Yadav, the SP initiated the tradition of commemorating the birth and death anniversaries of prominent Dalit figures, including the architect of the Constitution, Dr. BR Ambedkar, and Kanshi Ram, beginning with the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Although the alliance with the longstanding rival, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), faltered shortly after the election results, the SP utilised the partnership to launch and solidify its outreach to the Dalit community.
