Kanshi Ram: News

Kanshi Ram was a Bahujan activist, politician, and the Founder-President of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). He came from a lower-caste Ramdasia Sikh background, though he carried neither the turban nor the surname "Singh," the usual signifiers of the Sikh identity. He used to work at the Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Pune, from where he picked up leadership skills of the military kind. Inspired by BR Ambedkar and his writings, Ram witnessed caste oppression around him and decided to work towards the upliftment of backward communities. Ram formed many prominent organizations to work in this direction. In the 1970s, he founded the Backward and Minority Community Employees Federation (BAMCEF). He followed it up by setting up the Dalit Shoshit Samaj Sangharsh Samiti (DS4), and in 1984, launched the political outfit BSP. His method of combining the minority and backward caste vote comprising 85% of the pie against that of the 15% upper sections of society was instrumental in the rise of BSP as a serious political party. Ram was a Lok Sabha Member of Parliament during 1991-1996 from Etawah and in 1996-1998 from Hoshiarpur. He was the President of BSP from 1984 to 2003, when he handed over the reins of the party to Mayawati. He passed away in 2006 at the age of 72.

04 Apr 2019

Prime Minister

Understanding BSP, the party holding important cards this elections

A few weeks ago, BSP supremo Mayawati announced she will not contest upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

SC: Mayawati should reimburse Rs. 2,600cr spent on elephant statues

On Friday, the Supreme Court said that it was of the view that Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati should reimburse the public money that was spent installing statues of herself and BSP's symbol during her tenure as Chief Minister.

26 Dec 2018

Ram Mandir

Woman screams BJP-government failed her, Rajnath Singh says 'baith jaao'

It seems Home Minister Rajnath Singh won't be able to complete his speeches without any interruption.

Not-leaving-bungalow: Mayawati's government residence is now Kanshi Ram memorial

Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has come up with a 'genius' plan to not vacate the government residence she has been living in for many years.

19 Sep 2017

Mayawati

Mayawati launches nephew: Is this a new political dynasty?

Even as the clamor against political dynasties picks up steam, Mayawati at her recent Meerut rally introduced her nephew Akash, a management postgraduate from London, as an "upcoming" party functionary.