Rahul Gandhi to attend Kanshi Ram's birth anniversary event in Lucknow

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi will attend the 'Samvidhan Sammelan' in Lucknow for BSP founder Kanshi Ram's birth anniversary. A party MP said Gandhi is walking Kanshi Ram's path and that the event aims to show the Dalit leader belonged to everyone.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP, Rahul Gandhi, will attend the 'Samvidhan Sammelan' in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow on Friday to mark the birth anniversary of Bahujan Samaj Party founder Kanshi Ram.

Speaking to ANI, Congress MP Tanuj Punia said that Rahul Gandhi is walking the path paved by Kanshi Ram. "Kanshi Ram was a big leader of Dalits. He took Babasaheb's mission forward and worked to ensure justice to Dalits, people from the backward community. Rahul Gandhi is also walking on that path. Rahul Gandhi always talks about those whose concerns are not usually heard. He will arrive in Lucknow to celebrate the birth anniversary of Kanshi Ram. This will also give a message that Kanshi Ram ji does not belong just to a party, but was a leader for the whole (Bahujan) community," Tanuja Punia said.

Kanshi Ram's Legacy and Political Context

Constitution and caste-survey were also the poll planks for Congress in the run-up to the 2024 General Elections. BSP founder and stalwart leader, voicing his views for caste equality, Kanshi Ram was born on March 15, 1934. Under him, the BSP became the face of the Bahujan Samaj, comprising the SC, ST, OBC, and other minority communities in Uttar Pradesh. He passed away on October 9, 2006.

Rival Parties Commemorate Anniversary

BSP and the BJP are also likely to hold grand events to mark Kanshi Ram's birth anniversary. On Kanshi Ram's death anniversary last year, BSP chief Mayawati took a dig at the Samajwadi Party while expressing gratitude towards the current BJP-led government in Uttar Pradesh for maintaining transparency in the management of funds collected from the Kanshi Ram Memorial.

Speaking at the memorial on the death anniversary of BSP founder, Mayawati praised the BJP government for not "suppressing" the revenue generated from visitors. She said, "We are grateful to the present government because, unlike the Samajwadi Party government, the money collected from the people visiting this place has not been suppressed by the present BJP government." She had also slammed the Samajwadi Party and Congress over their alleged "casteist and malicious" attitude towards the BSP founder Kanshi Ram.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also remembered Kanshi Ram on his death anniversary and called for strengthening marginalised communities to form the INDIA bloc's government in Uttar Pradesh. (ANI)

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