H. R Phonsa
On the night of 3rd and 4th April 1984, he was found sleeping on the bare broken stone metal at Nagpur, where he had gone to inaugurate the Marathi daily newspaper “Bahujan Times” his dream project. Kanshi Ram was convinced that to capture the Delhi’s political crown the seat of power, much has to done to strengthen the 85 per cent Bahujan Samaj. To achieve this they should own a strong media of their own, as present vested interest median can only suppress and confuse his downtrodden masses. He used to keep awake for days and nights to equip him with literary knowledge, assimilate it into practical thoughts and to devise ways to use it for the advantage of his peoples, many of whom were ill fed, ill dressed, naked, illiterate, exploited and miss guided.
Those close to him tell how hard he worked to built up his first social and educative organization of employees of all SC’s, ST’s, OBC’s and minorities named BAMSEF on 6th Dec. 1978 and then prepared them to launch their Youth’s sangarash Simiti ” DS-4″ on 6th Dec. 1981. To prepare solid ground to get rightful share in political power, he launched his Bahujan Samaj Party on14th April, 1984. Kashi Ram shook the conscious of those who are under represented in our Parliamentary system and were craving for a change. Thereby he consolidated masses to work for their own political organisation BSP, many volunteered to work for BSP as “Mission Ka Kaam”. His message was so inspiring to his peoples, that once a BSP volunteer was always so. Due to Kanshi Ram’s political vision soon BSP became a National Party and attained Nationwide third position of political Parties of India. This left far behind many political parties, who were formed decades earlier. The election winning spree flourished and in UP assembly it won 66 seats out of 162 it contested in 1993. Kanshi Ram’s political maneuverability made Behan Mayawati Chief Minister of UP thrice in coalition with other parties, but he did not yield to undue pressure from other coalition partners even at the cost of loosing CM’s. Gadi The graph of winning seats in Lok Sabha elections also rose dramatically from zero in ( 8th ) to 04 ( in 9th); 03 (in 10th ); 11( in 11th ); 05 ( in 12th) 15nos( in 13th and 14th ) and 20 nos(15th). Party continuous efforts in this direction bore fruits of winning clear majority in 2007in UP Assembly elections with 208,in remaining 10 seats, standing Second and out of lost 111 seats 60 seats with a margin of less than 5000 votes. Behan Mayawati, now National President BSP was sworn in as Chief Minister of UP State with clear majority, but alas after the sad demise of Sahib. But in 16th Lok Sabha elections the party was again reduced to Zero, when his party deviated from the goals set by Shri KanshiRam.
During the period of 25 years since the formation of BSP, the INC Govt programs of multinationalism and New Economic order under late Prime Minister P. V Narasimha Rao, or Rath Yatra of L. K Advani culminating in demolishing of Babri Masjid on 6th Dec 1992, could not sway away Dalits from Kanshi Ram’s Programme of gaining political power to have share in running the affairs of union of India. Credit goes to Kanshi Ram that Dalits having over 80 per cent Indian population forming SC’s, ST’s, OBC’s and other minorities, have not challenged the Constitutional arrangements, avoided violence against the state or other ethnic groups. Kanshi Ram’s formula that numbers, not violence work in democratic India is a great Nationilst’s doctrine for which Kanshi Ram shall be long remembered.
His love for the Nation is reflected in his love for the deprived section of the society which constitute over 85 per cent of Indian population. He was not against any caste or class but against “ism” which spreads ill will among persons by their ill conceived techniques. Sahib was simple but unpredictable personality, he could go to any length to safeguard the interests of his Bahujan Samaj.
Like every one else, he had to leave the mortal frame of body, although it is painful for those who were left behind to bear the unbearable shock. Destiny player the same with Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram. He was not keeping good health for quite some time, but the brain stroke he suffered in Hyderabad during a meeting on 15th March, 2003 proved fetal. He was shifted to New Delhi Batra Hospital and remained under expert treatment for over three years. Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram declared Behan Mayawati as his political heir and National President of BSP on 18th September 2003.
The unfortunate end of Sahib’s worldly journey came on Monday the 9th October, 2006 at 12:20 at 11, Hanuman Road New Delhi, the official residence of Behan Mayawati. National Personalities like Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha L. K Advani. Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, Lalu Yadav, Ram Vilas Paswan and other paid their homage to the Messiah of Dalits. His funeral was attended by lacs and he was cremated at Nigam Bodh Ghat New Delhi on 9-10-2006. He left behind his wish that his mortal remains be not immersed in any river but kept in BSP Party HQ’s at Delhi and Lukhnow.
He qualified his death as per the hymn of Kabir Sahib “Jab Ham Aye Jagat Main, Jag Hansa Hum Roay, Asi Karni Kar Chaloo, Hum Hansain, Jag Roay” (On child’s birth, child cries but locality celebrates birth with joy, One must work for the good of the society, so that at the time of death the locality mourns but the person dieing feels joyous so sayeth Kabir).
Let us see how far his party and comrades are able to keep the Dalit masses united, to realize the dreams of sahib who achieved it with life long labour of sufferings. If his comrades slip from his ideals, it shall be a sad commentary and bad luck for his now united masses. Sycophancy or Chamchagiri should be kept away from the Dalit affairs. Politics of Chamchagiri has brought ruins to the Dalit cause, so said Sahib. But alas in a span of 10 years his party is fast loosing set principles and so political strength. The BSP’s relevance has got reduced to UP state only with its less caring for other Indian states. In J and K the party had won 4 seats and now losing relevance with out any representations in the state Assembly. The BSP bosses shall have to rethink and rededicate to the cause for which the party was formed in 1984. Sticking to set principles should be more concern of the party functionaries than nearness to political power. One can survive with out power but not with out principles.
Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram shall be long remembered for his visionary saying “Numbers, not voilance should be rule in democratic India” Dalits should win race to New Delhi Gadi by democratic means only, leaving no space for violence against any political or ethnic group. Dalits should live with spine up, so were the dreams of Sahib. As per the doctrine proclaimed by Guru Ravidas,Guru Kabir Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram qualified as a practical Darwesh, Sanyasi Gyanashwer, Tyagi, Yogi, Pundit, a crusader for peaceful political, social change and above all a human.
(Concluded)