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Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram Ji

The Journey to continue: Ambedkar Times completes 11th years "Nature, Humans and Freedom" Prem Kumar Chumber Editor-In-Chief: www.ambedkartimes.com We take pride in entering 12th year of our regular publication of Ambedkar Times. This all has become possible with the uninterrupted support of our supporters, contributors, readers and well-wishers. As we all aware of that the whole world has been passing through an unimaginable crisis for the last few days. The malady had originated at Wuhan in China and quickly engulfed the entire planet sending shivers down the spine in everyone. The malady - Covid19 - is still to be bridled as there has not been any universally recognized curable mechanism against its deadly infection. Corona causalities do not respect any man made and socially constructed caste, class, creed, gender, and cultural boundaries. Cartographic boundaries did not halt its onward journey. Upper caste, rich, 1st world etc. failed to distinguish themselves from lower caste, poor and 3rd world binaries amidst its silent invasion. Nature's fury teaches us an unforgettable lesson of keeping ourselves united if we want to live happily and to face any contingency, which defy all types of binaries. Freedom is indivisible. So is the burden of oppressive social divisions. Nature teaches us that our (of the entire humanity) fate is common: our sorrows and pleasures are also common. Then why we inclose ourselves in discriminatory caste/faith boundaries? Can one's being belonging to a particular caste/class/faith save her/him from the Corona virus? If we want to face boldly the onslaught of nature, we need to get ourselves free from oppressive social boundaries. If Corona has been making us physically weak and sick (in some cases even dead), social discrimination kills us mentally and makes us unfit to face boldly the fury of the nature!! Let us leave behind caste binaries and unite together to empower humanity. This could be a true way to achieve real freedom! Posted at www.ambedkartimes.com on March 15, 2020

AMBEDKAR TIMES Forum REMEMBERS SAHIB SHRI KANSHI RAM ON HIS DEATTH ANNIVERSARY Remembering Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram Ji in Contemporary Times Prem K. Chumber Editor-In-Chief: www.ambedkartimes.com  & www.deshdoaba.com Dalit Chetna has its roots in the sufferings of its progenitors who never tired in making efforts to wake up their people/Samaj. The beginning was made in a more systematic manner during the life time of revered Jyotirao Phule who with the support of his bold life partner revered Savitri Bai Phule made stringent efforts to educate the lowest of the low while equating education with the milk of Lioness that whosoever drink it will roar like a lion. The flame of this struggle was taken up soon after by Periyar E.V. Ramasamy who founded Justice Party to struggle for long lost Dalit human rights during colonial India. Babasaheb Dr B. R. Ambedkar became the legitimate heir of Phule-Periyar tradition of the generation of Dalit consciousness and took the same to new heights, never witnessed before since the beginning of the raising of voice against social exclusion and justice in the discourses by Tathagat Buddha. Babasaheb Dr Ambedkar remained on the platform of Dalit struggle from the time of his first publication on Genesis of Caste in 1916 till his last breath on December 6, 1956. From 1956 till 1972 Dalits in India experimented with his conversion formula to get rid of untouchability and getting organized under Dalit political parties (Independent Labour Party, Scheduled Castes Federation, Republican Party of India) to fight back social segregation, political marginalization and economic peripheralisation. Conversion somehow could not succeed in throwing off the debris of untouchability even from the confines of their newly embraced religions. The experience with the distinct Dalit political parties also remained quite disheartening as at different electoral intervals Scheduled Castes failed to register victory. Reservation in the legislature both at state and national levels encouraged opportunists from within the rank and file of the low castes to get played in the hands of the upper castes masters in the mainstream political parties to be ready to come forward to defeat their counterparts from the Dalit political parties. That is why Babasaheb used to say that on the reserved seats deaf and dumb low castes are picked up by the shrewd mainstream political party bosses to defeat the genuine Dalit candidates from the Dalit Political Parties. This was the outcome of the failure of Communal Award hard earned by Babasaheb Dr Ambedkar. A new wave came with the arrival of Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram Ji on the political scene of the Dalit Politics in India as well as with the birth of Dalit Panther movement in Maharashtra in the early 1970. It was also the time of the revival of Ad Dharam movement in Punjab by Mr. Mangu Ram, the namesake of Babu Mangu Ram Mugowalia, who after long stay in England came to stay put in Jalandhar to work for the upliftment of the Dalit Samaj. Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram Ji also made sincere efforts to stir new consciousness in the minds of Dalit people in Punjab while referring to the various achievements of the glorious Ad Dharam movement. Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram Ji, in fact, had successfully been able to  inject a new energy and passion among the Scheduled castes, especially of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, by bringing them together on the platform of BAMCEF, DS4 (Dalit Shoshit Samaj Sangarsh Samiti) and Bahujan Samaj Party. He was of the firm opinion that political power is the key to all locks of Dalit empowerment. He wanted to strengthen his own people and Samaj who had been taken for a free ride during centuries. What Sahib Shri Kanshi Ji said and done for the Dalit Samaj has once again being realized by his followers and scholars of Dalit studies that the current times need him and his style of politics more strongly for the emancipation and empowerment of the Scheduled castes people. Ambedkar Times (www.ambedkartimes.com) and Desh Doaba (www.deshdoaba.com) forum pay floral tributes to the fond memory and momentous work that Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram Ji had done for his people and Samaj on his anniversary!! Prem K. Chumber Editor-in-Chief www.ambedkartimes.com Posted at www.ambedkartimes.com on October 9, 2019

AMBEDKAR TIMES GROUP REMEMBERS SAHIB SHRI KANSHI RAM ON HIS DEATTH ANNIVERSARY Sahib Kanshi Ram and Dalit Emancipation Prem K. Chumber Editor-In-Chief: www.ambedkartimes.com  & www.deshdoaba.com Sahib Kanshi Ram devoted his life for the eradication of caste from the domestic structures of Indian socio-religious realm. The sole aim his life-long struggle was to facilitate the Bahujan Samaj to acquire power through the medium of ballot. He was a firm believer in the nonviolent power of democracy that he inherited from the teachings of Babasaheb Dr B.R Ambedkar. A chance reading of one of the numerous valuable writings of Dr. Ambedkar transformed his vision and he did not only prefer to live unmarried but also renounced his family life once for all. After he plunged into social struggle for the acquisition of political power for his people he did not look back at all toward his home in village Khauspur in Rupnagar district of Punjab. He did all this for helping his people to stand on their own feet to get rid of centuries' old slavery and blind faith in the chaturvarna system of social hierarchy, which deny them their bare minimum human rights. He ingrained among his people that the political power is the only key to Dalit emancipation and empowerment in the real sense of the term.  Sahib Kanshi Ram Ji was an innovative thinker and a charismatic mass leader who coined new political vocabulary for the mobilization of downtrodden. The slogans he chiseled adroitly caught the imagination of all and sundry throughout the length and breadth of India. He told his people unless and until they formed their own social and political organizations, no upper caste political party will allow them to come to rule India. And he was confident that given the 85 percent strength of Bahujan, if the latter joined hands no one in the world can stop them reach Delhi. His untiring efforts and firm faith in his people brought success though in some parts of the country. But as far as awareness among the Bahujan is concerned his was a great success. Ambedkar Times and Desh Doaba weekly newspaper pays sincere tributes to Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram Ji on his 11th death anniversary and solemnly resolve to continue struggling following into his footsteps.  Posted at www.ambedkartimes.com on October 9, 2017

Read more Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram Ji AMBEDKARTIMES GROUP REMEMBERS SAHIB SHRI KANSHI RAM JI ON HIS BIRTH ANNIVERSARY Prem Kumar Chumber (Editor-In-Chief) Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram was born on March 15, 1934, in Khawas Pur village of Ropar District of Punjab (India). He was the eldest of eight siblings. He belonged to the Ramdassia (Ad Dharmi/Mulnivasi) community of the Scheduled Caste group, which is the largest group in Punjab. He was named Kanshi because after his birth the midwife placed him in a tray made of kansa metal. His father owned some land and his uncles were in the armed forces. In Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram's own words, "I was born and brought up amongst those who sacrificed themselves but never betrayed the country...” Despite his low caste background, he earned a bachelor’s degree in science from the Government College at Ropar (Punjab). His upbringing was modest. During his education years there was nothing special about him to suggest that he would mature into great social revolutionary. It was only after he took up a government job in the western Indian state of Maharashtra that he began to be influenced by the writings and life of Baba Sahib Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar who voiced the concerns of India's low caste community and worked hard throughout his life for their empowerment. Soon after his graduation, Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram Ji joined the research staff of Kirki’s Explosive Research and Development Laboratory (ERDL) in Pune 1957. While working in Pune, he quit his job after becoming involved in the famous Deena Bhan case. Shri Deena Bhan, a Rajasthani Scheduled Caste employee and senior colleague of Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram Ji was suspended. His fault was that he protested against the decision of ERDL management for the cancellation of holidays for Baba Sahib Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and Lord Buddha Jayantis and their replacement by the Tilak Jayanti and one additional holiday for Diwali. Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram Ji decided to fight against such a caste ridden and dictatorial behavior of the management. The fighter in Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram got the suspension orders of Shri Deena Bhan revoked and Dr. Ambedkar and Lord Buddha Jayantis holidays were restored. This was the beginning of the long battle for the emancipation of the Dalits in the country that Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram had to lead till his last breath. He resigned from his job and totally dedicated his entire life for the cause of the community. He never married nor visited his home since then. His struggle was not for the home and family. He devised a new strategy to regain the lost glory of the original (Adi) inhabitants of Bharat (India). He gave utmost importance to the culture of work and democratic method of struggle. He also expanded the circle of the Dalits by incorporating other Backward Classes and Minorities into it. He criticized the post-Ambedkar leadership of Dalits in India. For that he declared "Poona Pact" as the main reason. He said that “Poona Pact" made Dalits helpless. By rejecting separate electorate, Dalits were deprived of their genuine representation in legislatures. Several and various kind of chamchas were born in the last fifty years. As and when India's so called high caste Hindu rulers felt the need of chamchas and when the authority of the upper castes got endangered by real and genuine Dalit leaders, chamchas were brought to the fore in all other fields”. In his "The Chamcha Age", a well argued and polemical tirade against the pseudo Dalit leaders, Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram Ji sharpen the contradiction for the legitimate acquisition of political power by the downtrodden in electoral democracy in India. In, the Chamcha Age, "he focused very much on the Poona Pact which was a point of a rather decisive Gandhian victory over Dr. Ambedkar after a long duel between the two at the Round Table Conference". In the mid-1960s, Sahib Kanshi Ram Ji began to organize Dalit government employees to fight against what he saw as the deeply entrenched prejudice of higher caste peoples. It was around this time that he decided that he would not marry and dedicate his life to the cause of Dalit improvement. Finally he decided play a crucial role in the politics of the country. The result was, Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram Ji launched his first organisation on December 6th, 1978: All India Backward (SC, ST, OBC) and Minority Communities' Employees' Federation, popularly known as BAMCEF. Three years later, on December 6th 1981, Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram Ji founded another organisation: DS-4 (Dalit Shoshit Samaj Sangharsh Samiti) and on April 14th, 1984, Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram Ji announced the formation of the Bahujan Samaj Party (the Common Man's Party). As a politician, he became very popular among his people, who found a new hope and vision in his style of functioning and sincerity. Suddenly he became a national figure. He was a master strategist and a meticulous organiser. He used his strengths to carve out a niche for Dalits. This was done by deploying an often combative and aggressive strategy, with virulent attacks on other political parties which he claimed only represented the interests of higher caste Hindus. He was sharply different from other politicians of the mainstream. He used to communicate before he spoke. In 1996 Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram Ji elected to the Lok Sabha from the Hoshiarpur constituency, from where 50 years ago Great Ghadri Baba Babu Mangu Ram Mugowalia Ji founder of the "Ad Dharm Movement" had been returned to the Punjab assembly in 1946. Interestingly, it was at Hoshiarpur, the strong hold of "Ad Dharm", that the BSP celebrated the 75th year of the "Ad Dharm Movement" on February 18th, 2001 . On this occasion Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram Ji exhorted the Bahujan Samaj to follow the principles of the "Ad Dharm Movement" of which the BSP has now become the torch-bearer. He was one of the few great leaders of Independent India who actually expanded the limits of Dalit politics. His political vision was never confined to Scheduled Castes only, as is often thought about him. All of the political organisations he founded were meant for the downtrodden of all sorts – SC, ST, OBC and Minorities. It would not be an exaggeration to say that he was the one who took a lead in making Indian democracy more competitive and practically open to the Dalit-Bahujan Samaj. Posted on March 15, 2012

AMBEDKARTIMES.COM TRIBUTE TO THE GREAT SAHIB KANSHI RAM JI March15th, 1934 October 09th, 2006 Prem Chumber Editor-in- Chief www.ambedkartimes.com Sahib Kanshi Ram Ji was born on March 15, 1934, in Khawas Pur village of Ropar District of Punjab. He belonged to the Ramdassia community (Ad Dharmi) of the Scheduled Caste group, which is the largest group in Punjab. He was named Kanshi because after his birth the midwife placed him in a tray made of kansa metal. His father owned some land and his uncles were in the armed forces. In Sahib Kanshi Ram's own words, "I was born and brought up amongst those who sacrificed themselves but never betrayed the country...”  Despite his low caste background, he earned a bachelor’s degree in science from the Government College at Ropar ( Punjab). Soon after, he joined the research staff of Kirki’s Explosive Research and Development Laboratory (ERDL) in Pune 1957. While working in Pune, he quit his job after becoming involved in the famous Deena Bhan case. Deena Bhan, a Rajasthani Scheduled Caste employee and senior colleague of Kanshi Ram was suspended. His fault was that he protested against the decision of ERDL management for the cancellation of holidays for Ambedkar and Buddha Jayantis and their replacement by the Tilak Jayanti and one additional holiday for Diwali. Sahib Kanshi Ram decided to fight against such a caste ridden and dictatorial behaviour of the management. The fighter in Kanshi Ram got the suspension orders of Deena Bhan revoked and Ambedkar and Buddha Jayantis holidays were restored. This was the beginning of the long battle for the emancipation of the Dalits in the country that Sahib Kanshi Ram had to lead till his last breath. He resigned from his job and totally dedicated his entire life for the cause of the community. He never married nor visited his home since then. His struggle was not for the home and family. He devised a new strategy to regain the lost glory of the original (Adi) inhabitants of Bharat. He gave utmost importance to the culture of work and democratic method of struggle. He also expanded the circle of the Dalits by incorporating other Backward Classes and Minorities into it. He criticised the post-Ambedkar leadership of Dalits in India. For that he declared Poona Pact as the main reason. He said that “Poona Pact made dalits helpless. By rejecting separate electorate, dalits were deprived of their genuine representation in legislatures. Several and various kind of chamchas were born in the last fifty years. As and when India's high caste Hindu rulers felt the need of chamchas and when the authority of the upper castes got endangered by real and genuine Dalit leaders, chamchas were brought to the fore in all other fields". In his "The Chamcha Age", a well argued and polemical tirade against the pseudo Dalit leaders, Sahib Kanshi Ram sharpen the contradiction for the legitimate acquisition of political power by the downtrodden in electoral democracy in India. In, the Chamcha Age, "he focused very much on the Poona Pact which was a point of a rather decisive Gandhian victory over Dr. Ambedkar after a long duel between the two at the Round Table Conference". Ambedkartimes.com pays tribute to The Great Sahib Kanshi Ram on his second death anniversary. Prem Kumar Chumber Editor-in- Chief www.ambedkartimes.com (Posted on October 9, 2011)

SAHIB SHRI KANSHI RAM JI'S 77TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY AND GRAND OPENING OF DR. AMBEDKAR LIBRARY CELEBRATED BY SHRI GURU RAVIDAS SABHA VANCOUVER For report by Tej Pal Gangar, please please click here: http://ambedkartimes.org/ Shri Guru Raviadss Sabha Vancouver celebrated Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram Ji's 77th birth anniversary and grand opening ceremony of Dr. Ambedkar Library on Sunday, March 13th, 2011 at 10:30am. On this day, Guru ka langar and Deg was served to mark 77th birth anniversary of the great leader of Bahujan Samaj, Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram Ji. After the religious ceremonies guest speakers sheded light on Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram Ji’s contributions to the society. The great personalities tributed to great leader Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram Ji. For report by Tej Pal Gangar, please click here: http://ambedkartimes.org/

Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha of New York celebrating Sahib Shri Kanshi Ram Ji's 77th birth anniversary on Sunday, March 27, 2011

	--OTHERWISE YOU ARE NOT MY FOLLOWERS!! ! ! ! SAHIB KANSHI RAM`S INTERVIEW

QUESTION: Why are you so hostile to all the national parties, especially the communists?

KANSHI RAM: To my mind, all parties represent the forces of status quo. For us, politics is the politics of transformation. The existing parties are the reason for the status quo. That is why there has been no upward mobility for the backward communities. The communist parties have become the biggest stumbling block in this regard. They keep talking about change, but work for status quo. The BJP is better, they never talk about change. So people never feel duped. Parties like the Congress and communists talk about abolishing poverty, but work towards keeping people poor. If the poor are not kept poor, these people cannot remain in their seats.

QUESTION: At the Congress centenary, Arun Singh said your emergence was not healthy for the national ethos.

KANSHI RAM: He is the grandson of a maharaja who never kept the interests of the nation in mind. Nationalism to him is feudalism. NATIONALISM TO ME IS THE MASSES OF INDIA. I BELIEVE IN THE TWO NATION THEORY: THOSE WHO OPPRESS AND THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED .What does the grandson of a wretched maharaja know about nationalism? What can we expect from Arun Singh than such things?

QUESTION: Why is your cadre so hostile to Mahatma Gandhi? 

KANSHI RAM: Gandhi is the root of every thing. I want change. Dr. Ambedkar wanted change. But Gandhi was the custodian of the status quo. He wanted Shudras to remain Shudras .Gandhi worked to keep the nation divided .We are working to unite the nation and erase all artificial divisions.

QUESTION: Why has your movement taken so much time to become a reality? 

KANSHI RAM: Upto 1971, I was not so much interested. I was working with RPI .Then I found I was marching towards a ship that others were deserting .It took a long time to prepare myself and others . We had to collect a lot of information, so that we could know how to prepare society and build a cadre. Preparing society initially took a long time. Now we are moving at a tremendous speed. Next year when you meet me, you will ask me how we have acquired such a speed.

QUESTION: How can you abolish caste by floating a casteist party? 

KANSHI RAM: The BSP is not a casteist party. If we are uniting 6000 castes, how can you call us casteist?

QUESTION: I believe your party is off-limits to the upper castes.

KANSHI RAM: The upper castes say why not include us. I say you are leading all the parties. If you join our party, you will blick change here also .THE UPPER CASTES CAN JOIN THE PARTY, BUT THEY CANNOT BE ITS LEADERS .LEADERSHIP WILL REMAIN IN THE HANDS OF THE BACKWARD COMMUNITY. My fear is that these upper caste people will come into our party and block the process of change .When this fear goes, they can join our party.

QUESTION: What is your constituency? 

KANSHI RAM: I REPRESENT THE CONSTITUENCIES OF BABU JAGJIVAN RAM AND CHAUDHARY CHARAN SINGH. AND MAY BE TO SOME EXTENT, SAYED SHAHABUDDIN.

QUESTION: Politicians we spoke to in Delhi say that if the BSP gets too belligerent they will finish you politically.

KANSHI RAM: WE WILL FINISH THEM .BECAUSE IF INDIRA CAN BE FINISHED BY A CHAMAR, ARE THESE FELLOWS GOING TO BE SAVED? WHEN WE ARE 90 PERCENT IN THE ARMED FORCES, 70 PER CENT IN THE BSF, 50 PER CENT IN THE CRPF AND THE POLICE, WHO CAN DO INJUSTICE TO US? A GENERAL NEEDS LESS BULLETS COMPARED TO JAWANS .THEY MAY HAVE GENERALS BUT NO JAWANS.

QUESTION: Are you advocating an eye for an eye? 

KANSHI RAM: TWO EYES .I tell my followers Ek Eet Ka Jawab, Do Pathron Se ( you must retaliate for one brick with two stones ) , otherwise you are not my followers .

QUESTION: So you are propagating violence.

KANSHI RAM: I am propagating strength. To curb violence, I must have strength .Other than me, for instance nobody can crush the Shiv Sena. Any time I come to Maharashtra, I will finish them .The violence of Shiv Sena will end.

QUESTION: - How will you do that? 

KANSHI RAM: - Who are the members of the Shiv Sena who burn and destroy? They are four castes: 1. Agari 2. Bhandari 3. Koli 4. Chamar. They are Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and most backward communities. As soon as I touch the Maharashtra, these people will instantly come with me.

QUESTION: - What makes you think that the BSP will not end up like the RPI? Bargaining for power with the ruling party.

KANSHI RAM: - The RPI never bargained. It was begging. It never reached the status of bargaining .I remember in 1971, the party struck an electoral alliance with the Congress to contest 521 seats .The Congress contested 520 seats, the RPI contested one seat. I love the RPI, but I hate being compared to it. It is like a cheap prostitute available at a pittance. As long as I am alive, this will not happen to the BSP. We want change .We don’t want alliances with the forces of status quo. If a government cannot be formed without our co-operation, then we will have our own conditions, for change. We want fundamental and structural changes, not cosmetic ones.

QUESTION: - There are rumours that you met Hazi Mastan Mirza at Gonda last November to solicit funds.

KANSHI RAM: - I have never met him anywhere. I have only seen his photograph .He may be paying other people, but not us. In fact he is being used against us. If anybody can prove that I have ever met him, I am prepared to face the highest punishment .Moreover, how much money Hazi Mastan can have? He is a very small man compared to me, as far as funds are concerned. If I only have funds like Hazi Mastan, how can I beat the Congress and other parties? How many crores can he give us? 

QUESTION: - THERE IS SOME MYSTREY ABOUT THE SOURCES OF YOUR FUNDS.

KANSHI RAM: - My funds come from various sources which will not dry up. My funds come from those people who produce wealth. The Bahujan Samaj produces wealth. I get my money from them. Lakhs of my people spend crores going to festivals like the Kumbh Mela to improve their next birth. I tell them that Kanshi Ram does not know anything about the next life. But he is an expert in the present life.

Those interested in improving their next life , I tell them , must go to the Brahmins on the banks of the Ganga .Those interested in improving their present life must come to me . So they throng to my meetings.

QUESTION: - There is talk of your being sponsored by the CIA.

KANSHI RAM: - For so many years this government has been clapping about it. It distributed lakhs of pamphlets about this in Bijnore. But the result was that people became furious and could not be purchased.  Babu Ji tried to purchase votes at Rs. 1000 each .But even those who used to be purchased at Rs.10 turned him down. And if I am a CIA man, why hasn’t this government taken any action against me? That shows it is a hijra (eunuch) government.

QUESTION: - They say you spent a lot of money on the Lucknow rally.

KANSHI RAM: -Rs. 22 lakhs were spent on hiring the buses alone .But I am angry. It should have been Rs. 22 crores .A time will come when people should spend Rs. 22 crores on my call .I don’t feel any dearth of money. If money is coming from a treasury, it will be extinguished. I am getting money from a perennial source of funds. I need only one crore rupees to win all the 542 parliamentary seats. One day, voters will queue up to pay money to Kanshi Ram. The next day, they will que up to vote for Kanshi Ram. 

QUESTION: - Some of your party men have broken away from you.

KANSHI RAM: - You cannot keep all the people together. Some people may get tired. Some people may be purchased. Some may become frightened. This will be a permanent feature. It will not demoralise us. I have created a method where in a given time if 10 people go away , we will produce 110 people of the same caliber .Whom we dropped as deadwood , others are trying to pick up and burn a fire .They are trying to use them against us. 

QUESTION: - You reiterate that you have never taken funds from a foreign source. 

KANSHI RAM: - When I went to England two years ago, some people - there are seven lakh Chamars there - offered me funds. I decided not to take the money, though Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Buta Singh had taken money from the same source - the Guru Ravidass Gurdwara in Birmingham. They had given to Babu Ji also .I was the only person who didn’t accept.

QUESTION: - What Kind of change are you looking for? 

KANSHI RAM: - I don’t want temporary changes. I am not prepared to attain what I cannot sustain .Let us attain whatever we can, but it must be retained and retained only by permanent change. 

QUESTION: - And when do you intend to contest elections?

KANSHI RAM: - I will stand when there are 100 constituencies in India where I can get a walk over. 

QUESTION: - How long will that take? 

KANSHI RAM: - Two years at the most.

SENT BY C. L. CHUMBER (c.l.chumber@gmail.co )
(COURTESY: THE ILLUSTRATED WEEKLY OF INDIA, MUMBAI, MARCH 8, 1987)

Posted on October 30, 2008

Photos & captions by Mr. C. L. Chumber

1. SHAHID-E-AZAM SAHIB KANSHI RAM AT BABA MANGU RAM MUGGOWALIA`S SMADHI STHAL AT GARH SHANKAR (PUNJAB) BEING HONOURED BY BABA MUGGOWALA`S SONS M/S LAXMI CHAND (NOW IN CANADA) , LATE CHATARSAIN P . C. S. AND S.R. SAHUNGRA M.L.A. (BSP) FROM GARH SHANKAR IN A FUNCTION IN 1998 AD.

2. SAHIB KANSHI RAM IN THE BABA MUGGOWALIA`S ADI-DHARAM MANDAL PLATINUM JUBILEE FUNCTION AT THE ROSHAN GROUND , HOSHIAR PUR (PUNJAB) ON 28TH FEBUARY , 2001 WITH M/S C .L .CHUMBER , H . S. HIRA U. K., HARBHAJAN SINGH SARINH .JAGDISH SAINI AND CHAUHAN.

3. SAHIB KANSHI RAM AND BABA PURAN NATH, HEAD, ADI-MAHA BHAGWAN VALMIK TIRATH DISTRICT AMRITSAR (PUNJAB) BOTH IN RED TURBANS AT TIRATH`S H.Q. IN A RALLY IN 2001 AD MR. UKHBIR SINGH SHALIMAR AND DR. D. P. KHOSLA ARE ALSO SEEN.

4 .SAHIB KANSHI RAM IN RED TURBAN DELIVERING SPEECH IN A RALLY ON HIS BIRTH DAY( BAHUJAN DAY ) 0N 15TH MARCH , 2001 AT LUDHIANA (PUNJAB) . Ms MAYAWATI, BAHUJAN MATA BISHAN KAUR, C. L. CHUMBER, HARBHAJAN LAKHA EX M.P., A . S. KARIMPURI EX M.L.A., M. S. MANHERHA, VIPAN KUMAR BAINS COUNCILOR AND GURDIAL CHAND SUNDA ARE SEEN IN PICTURE.

AMBEDKAR TIMES CONGRATULATES TO ALL ON SAHIB SHRI KANSHI RAM’S BIRTH ANNIVERSARY (MARCH 15, 2009) We couldn’t update the website after March 9th, 2009 because we just launched first newspaper named “AMBEDKAR TIMES” in English on March 12th, 2009. Ambedkar Times newspaper, free, copies are available in Indian stores, California now. We also sent some copies to New York , Toronto , Vancouver , and some other countries. We thank to all our valuable contributors, readers and their comments and suggestions. For more information regarding our first newspaper please feel free to contact us. Thanks for visiting www.ambedkartimes.com Prem Kumar Chumber Editor: Ambedkartimes.com

Dalit Emancipation and Sahib Kanshi Ram's Captivity Dr Amrik Singh writes from Sacramento

In the modern context, Sahib Kanshi Ram’s name has become synonymous with Dalit empowerment. The complexion of Indian democracy significantly changed with his rise on the political horizon of India. Major Indian political parties were taken by surprise. The era of one-party rule ended paving a way for the coalition politics at the Center. He entered in politics like an ascetic by renouncing the comfort of hearth and home for writing a new chapter on making of the Indian Nation. Utter Pradesh Chief Minister Kumari Mayawati, his keen follower, created history by winning absolute majority in predominantly Hindu majority state of Utter Pradesh. A spate of pro-Dalit developments undergoing in Utter Pradesh would not have been otherwise possible for several decades. The day is not far when she may even occupy the seat of power in Delhi. A majority of Dalits are proud of Kanshi Ram and his protégé Kumari Mayawati for empowering them, but few experience alienation for not being allowed to participate in the celebratory moments of their patriarch’s vision.

According to a report published in Times of India on 10/19/2008 , Sadhanshu Kumar, a youth from Bhagalpur and an ardent follower of BSP icon Kanshi Ram has been singularly campaigning at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi for a CBI probe into his unnatural death. Nobody can miss the banner displaying, “Kanshi Ram Ne Di Sardari, Mayawati Ne Ki Gaddari” (Kanshi Ram put a crown on her, but she betrayed him.) Sadhanshu Kumar may be among very few who would try to belittle Mayawati’s remarkable history being the first woman of Dalit origin to command so much authority. Everyone knows that UP CM could jolt influential persons like Mrs. Sonia and Rahul Gandhi out of their smugness, sometimes just to demonstrate the sweep of her unquestionable power. Dedicated supporters of Kanshi Ram like Sadhanshu Kumar from Bihar are relatively very poor and non-entities in comparison to the immensurable strength of Utter Pradesh Chief Minister.

On Kanshi Ram’s second death anniversary, Kumari Mayawati announced 3000 crores development projects. One of the projects, “Dr. Shakuntala Mishra Handicapped University” has been named after BSP General Secretary, Satish Chandra Mishra’s mother. Mishra, a Brahmin is currently the undisputed king of Utter Pradesh CM’s strategies and policies. The naming of the Handicapped University after Mishra’s mother to memorialize Kanshi Ram’s death anniversary, appears to be a cruel reminder of Kanshi Ram’s 95 year old mother who died during a prolonged struggle to liberate her ailing son from Mayawati’s clutches. Critics say Mayawati used purposely Mishra’s mother to demoralize Kanshi Ram’s relatives who still allege that Mr. Ram was killed while in her captivity. The act of naming Handicapped University after her General Secretary’s mother, according to a Kanshi Ram’s supporter, is like rubbing salt in the festering wounds of his survivors.

A school teacher who had dreamed of becoming a civil servant at the most, Mayawati fantasized her life on the roller coaster when she met Kanshi Ram in 1980. Kanshi Ram’s matter-of- fact style captivated her. She could not get over what he had prophesied about her ‘being the ruler instead of being ruled.’ She started monopolizing him from the very first day of her meeting with him; and thought she would not only win him over to her side completely, but also not tolerate anyone sharing the special pride he had.

Mayawati recognized that Kanshi Ram had set a mission on a higher plane where wealth, marriage and family ties could not distract him. His vows about not marrying and amassing wealth during his BAMCEF days reflected the singularity of his purpose and extreme dedication to the cause of Dalit upliftment.

Mayawati figured out that Kanshi Ram’s detachment from worldly allures had created a void that he wanted to fill by empowering Dalits in the national politics. She set her eye on the empty space of his life and started filling it with her domineering presence. She presented herself as the agent of change that Kanshi Ram had most advertized. The aggressiveness she showed by venting her vitriol against Brahmins, Bania and Thakurs had convinced Kanshi Ram of her potential and eagerness to work for the party cause.

The experience of being three time chief minister of India’s most populous state during Kanshi Ram’s life time, Mayawati had carved her own independent line that ran contrary to her mentor’s beliefs. Some supporters feel Kanshi Ram’s resolve to remain unaffected by political corruption and relatives’ promotion was woefully reversed. She showed her tendency to amass unlimited wealth and got embroiled in Taj Corridor corruption case.

After 1998, Kanshi Ram decided not to contest any election for the public office.

He planned to improve the party functioning and make it more attached to the grassroots level. But by 2000, he realized that he had lost the command of the party to Mayawati’s new alliances and tremendous financial clout. As he had no wealth, no home, no friends, he experienced helplessness typically like millions of Dalits who end up in traps of Chankayan making. Since Mayawati increased her surveillance to monitor his movements and people he met with, Kanshi Ram apprehended a grave threat to his life. He allegedly gave hints of a conspiracy to his supporters. Before Kanshi Ram could wriggle out of the trap, he suffered the paralytic stroke making him completely at the mercy of Mayawati, an Amazonian figure in Dalit politics. Earlier, Kanshi Ram tried to spend more time in Punjab. Mayawati had vehemently disapproved of his new love for his family. According to a report, she even used a filthy language for his 93 year old mother. Mayawati now had resolved to demonize Kanshi Ram’s family, and she spared no effort to succeed in her mission. Consequently, all the aggressiveness that was reserved previously for Brahmins, Banias and Thakurs had shifted singularly against Ram’s family whom she considered as a threat to her fiefdom. She skillfully substituted slandering Brahmins in UP with vilifying his family in Punjab.

Kanshi Ram’s increasing interest in Punjab was ascribed to his remote fixation with his family. Mayawati needed a strategy to project his family, and the Sikh background as fundamentally opposed to the national interests. Such a scheme had a greater traction in it as it would help Kanshi Ram become harbinger of hopes for Dalits and Brahmins in UP. As the paralytic stroke affected the right side of his brain, it was strong reason to retire him compulsorily to the bed. Mayawati idolized him to an extent that he existed as an Icon of Dalit revolution, but had nothing to do with everyday politics. Kanshi Ram tragic withdrawal from active politics left a void. Circumspect Dalit leaders apprehend that Brahmins were looking for long to fill the void created by Ram’s absence.

In real politics, Kanshi Ram was immediately replaced by Satish Chander Mishra as the most dominant influence in Mayawati’s life. She said that Mishra helped her in difficult times when Kanshi Ram had a stroke and his family was instigated against her. The son of the former Chief Justice of Guwahati High Court, Satish Mishra as her legal counsel, bailed her out of Taj Corridor corruption case. Mayawati got Mishra elected to Rajya Sabha seat. She also appointed him general secretary of BSP. As soon as Mishra took the center stage, it is believed, a major shift in Ambedkar’s ideology took place.

According to a report, Satish Mishra travelled 22,000 Kilometer across about 70 districts of Utter Pradesh between July1, 2006 to Sept 2006. Earlier, he had convinced Mayawati that the iconic value of Kanshi Ram’s life could not be allowed to waste away by his family in Punjab. A few days before his death, Mishra had completed his tour of magnetizing Brahmins to the BSP fold. He now needed to manipulate media so that the family feud turns to BSP advantage. After Kanshi Ram’s death on October 9, 2006, a host of well coordinated strategies were seen in operation.

Since Delhi High Court unexpectedly rejected the plea of Kanshi Ram’s family for the post-mortem of the body, his brother and sister became mute spectators to what followed at the funeral rites. The manner of hurriedly disposing of Kanshi Ram’s body aroused some people’s suspicion. The body was supposed to be for the public view for about two hours, but it reached one hour late leaving hardly any time for his supporters to have the last look. The funeral was advanced from 3PM to 2 PM. The cremation was carried out hurriedly according to Buddhists rites. Kanshi Ram’s family had neither any leader nor any court on their side. The funeral pyre was lit by Mayawati herself in the presence of the BSP founder’s brother and sisters. The last severe blow came with the announcement that his ashes would be the exclusive property of the party.

Satish Mishra next planned strategies to cash on the sympathy wave in ensuing 2007 elections. On October 17, 2006, Mayawati took Kanshi Ram’s ashes in an urn to Lucknow. It took six hours from Lucknow Airport to Ambedkar Bhawan where she made one hour speech to several hundred thousand people emphasizing that she was the sole inheritor of his political legacy. She appealed to voters to honor Sahib Kanshi Ram by electing her with absolute majority. Voters indeed surprised pollsters by giving Mayawati absolute majority in the Vidhan Sabha. On the eve of his two death anniversaries, many development projects were announced, but the question still remains, “Is Mayawati, the sole inheritor of what Kanshi Ram’s symbolized in his life?” If she is, she will definitely give a program for social emancipation of Dalits in accordance with the ideology of Kanshi Ram and Ambedkar.

Kanshi Ram said that once Dalits ‘capture power, social emancipation would follow keeping in line with most progressive political philosophy and ideology.’ In the next Parliamentary elections, Mayawati maybe a strong candidate for Prime Ministerial berth; if she gets the coveted post, she will fulfill the prophecy of her mentor. The question of ‘social emancipation’ as it is more complex and subtle, will require entirely a different strategy. Dalits have to be extricated from the swamp of ‘inferiority complex’ on the one hand and their self-esteem has to be attached with power structures of the social domain on the other. Social emancipation is more akin to personal growth of character and conviction. It has a fundamental difference with the Varna system which seeks to empower through exclusion. Social emancipation takes guidance from spiritual stock that promotes inclusiveness and bipartisanship even with rivals. Kanshi Ram’s siblings in such circumstances maybe partners with Mayawati for a new era of pride and glory

BSP founder Sahib Kanshi Ram was an alumnus of Government College Ropar where the writer once worked as a teacher. drsinghamrik@gmail.co

Posted on October 30, 2008

A tribute to the Great Revolutionary and True Inheritor of Dr Ambedkar's Legacy: Bahujan Nayak Manyawar Kanshi Ram

I will never get married, I will never acquire any property, I will never visit my home, I will devote and dedicate the rest of my life to achieve the goals of Phule -Ambedkar movement"

 

These pledges remind the work of Manyawar Kanshi Ram Sahib who is remembered in the history of India as a True leader of Bahujan Samaj . The journey of Manyawar Kanshi Ram Saheb and his movement of socio-cultural revolution and economic emancipation of Bahujan Samaj started way back in 1964. Kanshi Ram, the eldest son of Mr. Hari Singh, resident of Khawas Pur village of Punjab 's Roper district, was born on 15 th March, 1934 , in a Sikh family belonging to the Ramdassia Community. He completed B.Sc. and joined as an assistant Scientist in DRDO in Kirki Pune Maharashtra in 1957 where he was exposed to the bad breath of Hindu social order i.e. atrocious caste system. In the ordinance factory, where Kanshi Ram was working, the management cancelled the holidays of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Jayanti and Buddha Jayanti and instead granted Tilak Jayanti holiday and an additional holiday during Diwali festival. As a reaction to this, not the Ambedkarites from Maharashtra but a Scheduled Caste Mr. Dina Bhana, from Rajasthan, protested against the cancellation of these two holidays. Dina Bhana's protest resulted in his suspension. By this atrocious act, agitated Kanshi Ram fought the legal battle for Dina Bhana.  

As a result, not only was Dina Bhana reinstated but the holidays were also restored. The unjust and casteist act on the part of management resulted in a new awakening in Kanshi Ram, as he did not properly realize the casteist divisions in his youth in Punjab . Thereafter Kanshi Ram studied the literature of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, the biggest destroyer of Brahmanism after Buddha, Jyotiba Phule and Periyar. Kanshi Ram Ji read   "Annihilation of Castes" three times in one night which created not only an impact on Kanshi Ram, but shaped his thinking and future course of actions. Beside Dr. Ambedkar's writings, Mr. Kanshi Ram found the path of further movement in Dr. Ambedkar's plan for political action. Manyawar Kanshi Ram Ji quit the job in 1964 and decided that he will never marry and devote his life for social transformation.

On 24 th September 1944 , at Madras , Dr. Babasaheb declared the political goal of his struggle. Dr Ambedkar said, "Understand our ultimate goal. Our ultimate goal is to become the rulers of this country. Write this goal on the walls of your houses so that you will never forget. Our struggle is not for the few jobs and concessions but we have a larger goal to achieve. That goal is to become the rulers of the land."   On 4 th October, 1945 , in the Working Committee meeting of All India Scheduled Castes Federation again he elaborately stressed on the political power and said , "Politics should be the life-blood of the Scheduled Castes." Since politics of Congress party, the mouthpiece of the dominant castes was detrimental to the very existence and interests of backward class people, Babasaheb tried to form a broad – base movement of all the victims of Brahmanism.

In this context, addressing the 5 th convention of Uttar Pradesh Scheduled Castes Federation on 25 th April, 1948 , Dr Ambedkar said, "The scheduled Castes and the backward classes form the majority of the population of this country. There is no reason why they should not rule this country. All that is necessary is to organize for the purpose of capturing political power which is your own because of adult suffrage. People do not seem to buck up courage because they are overwhelmed by the belief that the Congress Government is there forever. I said this is a wrong impression. In a popular democracy no Government is permanent and not even the government established by the two of the tallest Congressmen, Pundit Nehru and Sardar Patel. If you organize you can even capture that Government." In the same speech Dr. Ambedkar warned the Backward Classes by saying that; they had suffered because of their political aloofness. They must forge a united front in order to wrest political power from the higher classes because political power is the key to all social progress. He also warned that the SCs cannot capture political power by joining the Congress and if they do that it will only increase the strength of their enemies.

On 18 th March, 1956 in a public meeting at Ram Leela ground, Agra , he said that the highly qualified people belonging to SCs have betrayed us. They are occupying the key posts in government and doing nothing for their poor, oppressed brothers and sisters.

It was a great loss for the movement when Dr. Babasaheb unexpectedly died on 6 th December, 1956 .

After the death of DR Ambedkar, the Republican Party of India (R P I) as visualized by Dr. Ambedkar was formed on 3 rd October, 1957 . But from 1958 the party began to split up under various leaders. The biggest set-back to the party was that, it became a party of Maharashtra and the Mahars (later converted to Buddhism after 1956) and the other sub-castes remained the supporters of Congress and others. The clash of personalities and personal political ambitions took the caravan in a reverse direction rather taking ahead.

Manyawar Kanshi Ram Ji noticed the dynamism of Dr Ambedkar's movement. He started working with Republican Party of India. After near about eight years of working with Republican Party of India, he became disillusioned with its functioning. His dream of Ambedkarite movement was completely shattered when Dadasaheb Gaikwad joined the hands with Mohan Dhariya from Congress for a petty one Lok-Sabha reserved seat and few lakh rupees. He observed that supporters of RPI were celebrating the pact of RPI and Congress where RPI got just one seat and rest of seats were given to Congress. This event was the beginning of his dissociation from Republican Party.

Manyawar Kanshi Ram Ji decided that he will develop a society which will work to spread the thoughts of Dr Ambedkar and other social reformers and will never sell themselves for a small gain. He independently started organizing the employees of Scheduled castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes mainly from Pune, Bombay , Nasik , Nagpur and Delhi .

He traveled all over the India along with his few activists to know why Caravan of Dr Ambedkar was brought back rather than taking ahead. During these days he never bothered about his health, food, transport and worked tirelessly to awaken the educated employees. Organization of employees of Backward Class and Religious Minorities, after doing a necessary preparatory work within a period of five years decided to float an organisation in 1973. As a result of it, and as per the vision of Dr. Ambedkar, Kanshi Ramji’s started his first organization on 6 th December 1978 in Delhi , called as BAMCEF. Subsequently, he formed Buddhist Research Center (BRC), DS-4 and BSP.

Kanshi Ramji decided to take the Caravan of Dr Ambedkar ahead and he considers it as his responsibility to fulfill the same. Then he started working among educated employees and awakens them to work for the upliftment of the downtrodden. In this process he was successful to a large extent in awakening, realizing and transforming the expectations of Dr Ambedkar from educated class. After the necessary ground work and positive response from some employees in Poona , Nagpur , Delhi and other places Kanshi Ramji decided to launch an organization for pay-back to society. Thus, the idea of BAMCEF was conceived on 6 th December, 1973 . After ceaseless field work throughout the country for near about five years the birth of BAMCEF took place on the lawn of Boat Club in New Delhi , on 6 th December 1978 . During this time, he conducted several cadre camps, meetings, seminars in different parts of the country to awaken the employees. The basic aim of BAMCEF was to develop genuine and capable leadership among the oppressed. Basically it has been the organization aimed to build up the non-political roots for the success of Dr. Ambedkar's political vision and action. BAMCEF's typical feature was that it was an organization of the employees, by the employees but not for the welfare of the employees. The first concept given by Kanshi Ram Ji was “people who should succeed politically must have strong non-political roots"

He witnessed the failure of Ambedkarite movement in Maharashtra ,

 Kanshi Ramji had realized that the people whose non-political roots were not strong were bound to fail politically. They can have their political party, but they cannot succeed politically. Therefore, in order to strengthen the non-political roots of backward class people, he began BAMCEF experiment and spent 10-11 years in organizing the educated employees of SC/ST/OBCs and Minorities, who were benefited by the policy of reservation. BAMCEF created a new missionary political conscience among the backward caste educated employees and also established a national network for further Kanshi Ram's movement.

Kanshi Ram Ji did not project himself a leader but worked silently as organizer and hence he did not mind to invite Ram Vilas Paswan, Karpoori Thakur to address 3 rd National Convention of BAMCEF which was held at Chandigarh on 14 th -18 th October 1983 .

After spending 20 yrs of his young age Kanshi Ramji realized that merely organizing employees would not be enough to fulfill the dreams of Dr Ambedkar. Unless they get power and cannot become rulers. Therefore he created another concept, i.e . 'Power will be the product of struggle'. He realized that Employees cannot do struggle hence he stared DS-4 Dalit Shoshit Samaj Sangharsh Samiti. According to him, "not that our people were not struggling. They were struggling, but not for themselves. They were not struggling for their own cause. They were and are struggling for somebody else as stooges. Because we are passing through the Chamcha Age, the era of stooges, and as stooges we are struggling."

Kanshi Ram in his historical book, "THE CHAMCHA AGE", (an Era of the Stooges) published on 24 th September, 1982 , on the occasion of 50 th anniversary of the Poona –Pact, has vividly exclusively dealt with the disadvantages of the Chamcha Age.

A)    Caste and Community-wise Chamchas. 1 ) The scheduled Castes – Reluctant Chamchas. 2) The Scheduled Tribes – Initiated Chamchas 3)    The Other Backward Castes – aspiring Chamchas 4) The Minorities – Helpless Chamchas. B)     Party – Wise Chamchas. C)    Ignorant Chamchas. D)    Enlightened Chamchas or Ambedkarite Chamchas E) Chamchas of the Chamchas. F) Chamchas Abroad.

It will be apt to say that, Kanshi Ram has been the only leader who has understood the damage caused by the Poona Pact and applied the necessary measures as it was expected by Dr. Babasaheb. His only book deals with the Chamcha Age phenomenon in detail.

 Kanshi Ram has been very crystal clear in understanding the Poona Pact and therefore he said, "Babasaheb Ambedkar wanted to take the downtrodden people from Dark Age to bright age. But Gandhi intervened in this process of change. Hence we entered into a different age then onwards, which I have named as the age of Chamchas-the Chamcha Age-the era of stooges".

Thus, from the day of launching D -S4, an agitational and awakening wing of BAMCEF, till the formation of Bahujan Samaj Party, on 14 th April, 1984 , Kanshi Ram conducted several experiments of social action countrywide successfully. The programmes created sufficient awareness in the Bahujan Samaj about their socio – political, economic and cultural status. Hence, D-S4 proved as a milestone preparation for the long battle of political action, social transformation and economic emancipation.

Up to 1976, Kanshi Ram, being in Pune – the center of Maharashtra witnessed the down-fall of Ambedkarite movement. In his scientific analysis of the Chamcha Age, he has focused on the fall of Ambedkarism from the first general election i.e. 1951 till 1980. By 1971 alliance between R P I and Congress, his all hopes of Ambedkarite movement dashed into dustbin. Therefore, following the advice of Dr. Ambedkar i.e. 'political power is the key to all social progress,' he felt absolutely essential for the members of all oppressed and exploited communities to prepare themselves for agitational and political action.

Most of the politicians, Researchers failed to understand the vision of Kanshi Ram Ji and hence could not understand the Role of BSP in Indian Democracy. Today in India there are 7 national political parties which are lead by so called upper caste Hindus. They control all the affairs of their parties to establish the rule of Hindu upper castes and exploit the 85% Bahujan Samaj.

Manyawar Kanshi Ram Ji refined the rules of Indian politics. He developed a concept that the unstable government at center is beneficial for Bahujan Samaj as you can derive maximum advantages to deprived sections. Therefore he used say frequently," I want Mazboor (weak) government at centre and not Majboot (strong) till we reach to the Centre". Kanshi Ram Ji articulated positively the Bahujan ideology from Buddha to Ambedkar. Kanshi Ram Ji always acknowledged the contribution of Ex-Mahars now Buddhists for supporting Dr Ambedkar in his war against Manuvadi system. He said," I have learnt two things from them one how to learn the movement I leant from Dr Ambedkar and second how not to run the movement from his followers in Maharashtra ."

Manyawar consistently led his movement for almost 38 yrs from 1965-2003 till his illness. Bahan Mayawati has taken up the unfulfilled dream of Manyawar Kanshi Ram Ji and proved to be the successor of Kanshi Ram ji’s sociopolitical struggle when she became CM of UP 4 th time with an absolute majority in may 2007.

"Jai Bhim Ka Nara Gunjega Duniya Ke Kone Kone me"

Posted on October 30, 2008

TRIBUTE TO THE GREAT SAHIB KANSHI RAM March, 15th, 1934 — October, 09th, 2006

Ambedkartimes.com pays tribute to The Great Sahib Kanshi Ram on his second death anniversary

Sahib Kanshi Ram was born on March 15, 1934, in Khawas Pur village of Ropar District of Punjab. He belonged to the Ramdassia community (Ad-Dharmi) of the Scheduled Caste group, which is the largest group in Punjab. He was named Kanshi because after his birth the midwife placed him in a tray made of kansa metal. His father owned some land and his uncles were in the armed forces. In Sahib Kanshi Ram's own words, "I was born and brought up amongst those who sacrificed themselves but never betrayed the country...”  Despite his low caste background, he earned a bachelor’s degree in science from the Government College at Ropar ( Punjab). Soon after, he joined the research staff of Kirki’s Explosive Research and Development Laboratory (ERDL) in Pune 1957. While working in Pune, he quit his job after becoming involved in the famous Deena Bhan case. Deena Bhan, a Rajasthani Scheduled Caste employee and senior colleague of Kanshi Ram was suspended. His fault was that he protested against the decision of ERDL management for the cancellation of holidays for Ambedkar and Buddha Jayantis and their replacement by the Tilak Jayanti and one additional holiday for Diwali. Sahib Kanshi Ram decided to fight against such a caste ridden and dictatorial behaviour of the management. The fighter in Kanshi Ram got the suspension orders of Deena Bhan revoked and Ambedkar and Buddha Jayantis holidays were restored.

This was the beginning of the long battle for the emancipation of the Dalits in the country that Sahib Kanshi Ram had to lead till his last breath. He resigned from his job and totally dedicated his entire life for the cause of the community. He never married nor visited his home since then. His struggle was not for the home and family. He devised a new strategy to regain the lost glory of the original (Adi) inhabitants of Bharat. He gave utmost importance to the culture of work and democratic method of struggle. He also expanded the circle of the Dalits by incorporating other Backward Classes and Minorities into it.

He criticised the post-Ambedkar leadership of Dalits in India. For that he declared Poona Pact as the main reason. He said that “Poona Pact made dalits helpless. By rejecting separate electorate, dalits were deprived of their genuine representation in legislatures. Several and various kind of chamchas were born in the last fifty years. As and when India's high caste Hindu rulers felt the need of chamchas and when the authority of the upper castes got endangered by real and genuine Dalit leaders, chamchas were brought to the fore in all other fields".

In his "The Chamcha Age", a well argued and polemical tirade against the pseudo Dalit leaders, Sahib Kanshi Ram sharpen the contradiction for the legitimate acquisition of political power by the downtrodden in electoral democracy in India. In, the Chamcha Age, "he focused very much on the Poona Pact which was a point of a rather decisive Gandhian victory over Ambedkar after a long duel between the two at the Round Table Conference".

Ambedkartimes.com pays tribute to The Great Sahib Kanshi Ram on his second death anniversary.

Prem Kumar Chumber
Editor: www.ambedkartimes.com
Posted on October 09, 2008

INSTEAD OF BEING RULED LET US BE RULERS Kanshi Ram Tells Dalits SPECIAL SPEACH DELIVERD BY MR. KANSHI RAM Ji AT 1ST WORLD DALIT CONFERENCE IN MALAYSIA ON 10TH & 11TH OCTOBER,1998 Dalits should become rulers instead of being ruled. We must not be always at the receiving end, instead become the givers, Dalit Leader Mr. Kanshi Ram told the world dalits. It's long we have been ruled. It is long we have been taking. Now it is time we change the destiny to rule and give, he said. Mr. Kanshi Ram who is the Founder Prisident of Bahujan Samaj Party delivered a key-note address at the opening of the 1st World Dalit Convention 'A new vision towards a casteless society' at the Kuala Lampur Mines Resort City. The two day convention held on 10th and 11th October 1998 was well attended by more than 700 delegates throughout the world including famous politicians noted leaders from dalit movement, champions of down-trodden, social reformers, renowned economists, famous educationists and great scholars. The Malaysian Manister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Sabbaruddin Chik officialy opened the conference which saw the opening very colourful with Malaysian cultural and traditional dances performed by Indians, Malays and Chinese.Mr. Kanshi Ram garlanded the Portrait of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar while Dalit Sena President Ram Vilas Paswan garlanded the portrait of the great Periar. Mr. Kanshi Ram in his speech continued to trace the history of caste and Braminical social order. He asserted by virtue of his vast experience that elimination of caste was impossible at this stage. He also elaborated the very purpose of creating caste.In context of caste oppression and justice Mr. Kanshi Ram refered the role of Dr. Ambedkar. He commended the merit of 'Communial Award' which he achieved after a long struggle. Dr. Ambedkar could not sustain the going due to the constant pressure of the mighty upper caste Hindus, Mr. Kanshi Ram told the delegates who packed the hall.'Babasaheb Ambedkar was able to get reservation for the oppressed in legislative houses, job opportunities in government departments and also places in higher educational insitutions. I wish to stress upon that reservation is not the soultion to oour problem. We must become rulers instead of being ruled, givers instead of being takers, Mr. Kanshi Ram told the crowd to a thunderous applause.It is my duty to prepare my people not to get reservation but to grant reservation. Who can granreservation? Only rulers can grant reservation. Hence, I will prepare my people to become rulers.If we do not become rulers, our problems will remain forever, Kanshi Ram said. In order to become rulers we must learn how to handle caste. Dr. Ambedkar, Nehru, Gandhi and Indra Gandhi were experts in handling caste. Nehru handled caste so well that he made Dr. Ambedkar helpless and retain the Brahminical Social Order. Indra Gandhi also handled caste well to benefit the Brahminical Social Order.Dr. Ambedkar prepared the SC/ST to handle Caste. That is how we could get many benefits from the British, he added. Mr. Kanshi Ram expressed concern for 10 crores slum dwellers who are deprived of proper drinking water and electric supply.People migrating from villages to cities are also being denied of many facilities and end up in polluting the enviornment.But those refugees who came from Pakistan after independence were duly taken care of by the then government and a special budget was allocated to meet their basic necessities, he pointed out to the delegates. According to Mr.Kanshi Ram ,slum dewellers presently living in urban areas are the Dalit refugees who have migrated from the villages because of acrimonys & atrocities committed by upper case Hindus.They have not been able to influence the Planning Commission and the Government of India to allocate separate budget to provide them bread, clothes and shelter. A decent life is a matter of fundamental right of every citizen in accordance with the constitutional mandate, Mr. Kanshi Ram asserted.He advocated separate settlement for dalit people as once formulated by Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar.He was very critical of the evil impact of caste-system in India. Wherever the Indians went they never failed to carry with them this spreading disease he told the lauging and cheering crowd.The Indians are prepared to leave anythign behind. They leave behind their little property, small land and their huts.But they will never leave behind their caste. They carry with them wherever they go, he said.While urgimg the dalits to unite he also called upon the Dalit intellectuals to shed away the approach of existing analysis only. They should instead come with forward-looking approach in education, economic and social problems.They must also come up with some sort of effective solution programme, Mr. Kanshi Ram added.Mr. Kanshi Ram impressed upon the delegates that Dalit problem can only be solved through political power to rule the country.'We must become the rulers instead of being ruled,'he told the cheering and applauding delegates. Courtesy: Mr.M.G.Pandithan, New Vision. (First World Dalit Conference )