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Congress person Rahul Gandhi appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi connected Sunday (March 15, 2026) to confer the Bharat Ratna connected Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) laminitis Kanshi Ram posthumously, asserting that this would honour the aspirations of millions of radical who proceed to presumption him arsenic a awesome of empowerment and hope.
In a missive to PM Modi, Mr. Gandhi said Kanshi Ram transformed the quality of Indian authorities and done his movements, raised governmental consciousness among Bahujans and the poor.
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"As we commemorate the commencement day of Kanshi Ramji contiguous and bespeak connected his bequest and contributions, I constitute with a petition that helium beryllium awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously," the Leader of Opposition successful the Lok Sabha said successful the letter.
"Kanshi Ramji transformed the quality of Indian politics. Through his movements, helium raised governmental consciousness among Bahujans and the poor. He reminded them that their vote, dependable and practice are important and that this state belongs to everyone equally," helium added.
Mr. Gandhi asserted that due to the fact that of Kanshi Ram's efforts, galore radical who had ne'er considered entering nationalist beingness began to spot authorities arsenic a means to execute justness and equality.
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"Our Constitution promises equality, dignity and information for each Indian. Kanshi Ramji devoted his beingness to making these promises meaningful for those astatine the precise bottommost of society. In doing so, helium strengthened the foundations of Indian ideology and made our governmental strategy much typical and just," the erstwhile Congress president said.
"For galore years, Dalit intellectuals, leaders and activists person called for Kanshi Ramji to beryllium honoured with the Bharat Ratna. Their request has been accordant and profoundly felt. Recently, I attended a programme successful Lucknow wherever this request was reiterated powerfully by the leaders and participants present, reflecting a wide sentiment," helium said.
Conferring the Bharat Ratna connected Kanshi Ram posthumously would recognise his immense publication to the country, Mr. Gandhi said.
"It would honour the aspirations of millions of radical who proceed to presumption him arsenic a awesome of empowerment and hope. I anticipation the authorities volition earnestly see this request," the Congress person said successful his missive to the Prime Minister.
Sharing his missive connected X, Mr. Gandhi said, "I request that the authorities of India honour the large warrior of societal justness and usher of Bahujan consciousness, Honourable Kanshi Ramji, with the Bharat Ratna." "This highest nationalist honour volition beryllium a tribute to Kanshi Ramji and the full question that showed crores of Bahujans the way to rights, information and self-respect. My missive to @PMOIndia regarding this demand," helium said, posting the screenshot of the letter.
Earlier, the Congress hailed Kanshi Ram connected his commencement anniversary, with Gandhi saying his tireless conflict and dedication to the rights of the poor, Dalits and the marginalised service arsenic "an inspiration to us".
Paying tributes to Kanshi Ram, Mr. Gandhi claimed that the Constitution is nether menace contiguous and those who ascended to powerfulness by swearing an oath connected B R Ambedkar's Constitution are themselves bent upon undermining it .
"A respectful tribute to the Bahujan icon, Manyavar Kanshi Ramji, connected his commencement anniversary. His tireless conflict and dedication to the rights of the poor, Dalits and the marginalised service arsenic an inspiration to america all," helium said successful a station successful Hindi connected X.
"He believed that the Constitution is the existent spot of the Dalits, the backward classes and the deprived. That precise Constitution is nether menace contiguous -- those who ascended to powerfulness by swearing an oath connected Babasaheb's Constitution are themselves bent upon undermining it," Mr. Gandhi said.
"Without a stock successful power, justness is intolerable -- this is the enduring connection of Kanshi Ramji's legacy. This imagination of societal justness shall not stay unfulfilled. The Congress enactment has stood and volition ever basal for the participation, dignity and law rights of the Bahujan community," the Leader of Opposition successful the Lok Sabha asserted.
Earlier this week, Mr. Gandhi had said successful Lucknow that if Jawaharlal Nehru was alive, Kanshi Ram would person been made a Chief Minister from the Congress.
Nehru, India's archetypal Prime Minister, died successful 1964, portion Kanshi Ram emerged connected the governmental country with the enactment of the backwards-championing BAMCEF successful 1978 and later, bolstered his presumption with the enactment of the BSP successful 1984.
Speaking astatine the "Samvidhan Sammelan", the Congress person said Mahatma Gandhi, Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram ne'er compromised connected their principles.
Meanwhile, BSP main Mayawati has slammed the Congress, saying it was the expansive aged party's "anti-Dalit ideology" that had necessitated the enactment of the outfit and the nationalist enactment ne'er accorded owed respect to Dalit icon Ambedkar.
In a station connected X connected Saturday, Ms. Mayawati urged BSP workers to stay vigilant against what she claimed were attempts by different governmental parties, particularly the Congress, to usage Kanshi Ram's sanction and weaken the BSP.
"The Congress ne'er gave owed honour to Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar -- the messiah of Dalits and the main designer of the Constitution -- nor did it ever confer upon him the rubric of Bharat Ratna.... How tin the aforesaid enactment present honour Kanshi Ram," she said successful her station successful Hindi.
The remarks of the erstwhile Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister came a time aft a connection was passed astatine the "Samvidhan Sammelan" organised by the Congress, stating that the enactment would confer the Bharat Ratna connected Kanshi Ram if voted to power.
